I’ve been drawing since childhood, like many of us, and I’ve never stopped because it’s what I love most in life. I mostly drew cartoon designs, and after completing 8 years of art school (4 years in graphic/media design and 4 years in animation and film), you can still see that illustration style in my work, whether in graphic designs or animations. Creating vector designs with Adobe Illustrator forms the foundation of most of my work. In recent years, I’ve been sketching on the iPad using Procreate, but of course, I still use old-school pencil and paper.
Around 2020, I wanted to draw more than just cartoons and tell stories through my art. I began drawing simpler human-like figures. A friend had a sticker machine that printed outlines, which allowed me to bring my art to life. During this time, my style evolved toward pop art, and I named it BitPopArt.
People often associate the cartoons and especially the simple figures with the artist Keith Haring. While I use outline figures (consisting of only lines and colors), my intention was never to reference him. As an artist, your work will always remind others of something, and that’s perfectly fine. This style makes me happy. For me, it allows me to tell more art stories without losing my cartoon side, and these outline figures are a convenient way to put them on bags, T-shirts, and my camper van where I conducted my first Art Tour in 2022/23. In 2023, I began developing this style even further.
Bitcoin: The ‘Bit’ in BitPopArt stands for Bitcoin. I’ve been a supporter since I studied and learned what it is. For me, it stands for freedom. I’m always fascinated by new technology systems how they can expand our freedom, yet also be used against it. You’ll see this reflected often in my work.
After art school, I started traveling extensively and never stopped. Having visited over 88 countries (many multiple times), I call myself a world citizen with Frisian (Dutch) roots. Why choose just one place to live when I love so many on this earth? :) My art draws inspiration from all my travels and the cultures I’ve experienced and continue to explore. It flows from following my heart, creating wherever and whenever I feel like it. I can say that I’ve experienced a wide range of cultures. Humans, in general, serve as a significant source of inspiration for me. It’s fascinating to observe how we behave, how we perceive the world, and how unique and unpredictable we can be.
