Interview
Jan-Willem Boer
JW Boer, a native of The Netherlands, has lived in the USA for 42 years; working mainly in oils and acrylics. He is best known for his paintings that reflect the unique interaction between light and dark in cities and on highways. His goal is to bring emotions back to their basics in a visual intriguing way.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I am born in The Netherlands, just north of Amsterdam. I started drawing very young and my sister kept my first plein-air painting from when I was five years old; a watercolor painting of the harbor at Rotterdam. I have it framed in my house today. My two brothers were all involved in the arts – writing and acting, so painting was left for me. My oldest sister who loved to draw and paint herself encouraged me the most. I just had a love of drawing anything and everything. My schoolwork was always full of drawings. I was fairly young when my dad died and I left high school shortly after that, I approached the renowned Rietveld Academie (Art University) in Amsterdam to seek admission. They said I was too young, to come back when I was 18. I told them I would be famous by then – for some reason they accepted me into their school of which I attended for three years under some of the most influential artists of this era, specializing in design and painting. With the help of my oldest brother, I began my career working for the Dutch publishing house VNU as the in-house illustrator for KIJK, a Dutch popular scientific magazine. After immigrating to the USA, I continued working as an illustrator and designer in Minneapolis, MN for 35 years for more than 100 clients in both the USA and Europe; winning several awards for my work. About 15 years ago, I started teaching painting and concentrating on producing my own art works. I work with a vibrant palette and my style reflects the fusion of the Dutch and American culture. Twelve years ago, I moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and began the Shenandoah Art Destination; where artists from all over the world have come for an artist retreat.”
What inspires you?
“I live and work in the Shenandoah Valley, which has a natural beauty of its vastness. Around every winding curve, there is a new inspiration in view. Somehow, the highways of the empty prairie road to the busy inner city roads, give me inspiration. I feel emotionally connected to the dark landscapes, the lights – I think it all reminds me of my image of God. Observing the American landscape that is disappearing, I have a passion for playing with color and perspective, and feature this heavily in my work. I draw inspiration out of interaction with other people who want to create and from the energy of my own personal experiences.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“As a visual painter, I like figurative and whimsical paintings with a contemporary look. I want to simplify my environment, create a certain order and bring it back to the basics. For example, “Driving at Night” brought back an interaction between different colors of light. I want to experience the loneliness of being in my own paintings and prompt the viewer to realize that all there is left when it comes down to it is God. As I develop my work, I am moving more and more towards abstraction. But now and then when I get homesick I will have to paint a windmill!”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is best described as Modern Impressionism. I have always explored new styles and techniques. Art for me is a search, but also a fantastic trip without a clear destination. I hope that my vibrant and distinctive use of color creates a connection with the viewers that is simultaneously introspective and transforming. My work can be thought provoking; for instance, I like to throw in the imaginative with the realistic; and then people say ‘why is that in the painting?’”
Which artists influence you most?
“Born in The Netherlands, Rembrandt and Van Gogh were part of my whole life. And, of course, great masters such as Paul Klee, Julie Mehretu, David Hockney, Francis Bacon and more. But, I was also greatly influenced by the works of two artist friends of mine, Glen Thomas and Mon Wolters. Glen is an American artist living in Holland and Mon is a Dutch artist, who I used to rent a room from in Amsterdam. Later in life, I came to be inspired by Hopper and illustrators like J.C. Wyatt.”
“As a visual painter, I like figurative and whimsical paintings with a contemporary look. I want to simplify my environment, create a certain order and bring it back to the basics.”
What is your creative process like?
“I always have ideas in my head – if I sit in a meeting where they need ideas, I can come up with 10 on the spot but ideas are always there. I have a sketchbook where I create small thumbnail sketches of my ideas and then develop them more in Photoshop or Illustrator. I record visual stimuli – color, shape, light; write down concepts, record what I see. I spend a lot of time thinking about my next work in terms of size, color or how many panels I use. Most of my pieces are planned in advance but I leave room for improvisation. Sometimes, I make a watercolor first of my idea, then an underpainting in acrylic and sometimes I cover that with oil paint if I think it needs more depth. There are certain pieces where I work really fast and just improvise; just to stay loose and hoping something original will develop,”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“This is a very difficult question. Even the definition of an artist is very vague. As an artist, I primarily work for myself and sometimes I take in account the viewpoint of others. For me art is primarily a solitary journey – I paint for myself, not others, but, of course, hoping that others will see/feel what I am trying to portray or the story I am trying to tell. In the end, this a personal contribution to add beauty to this fantastic world. Some artists think that they are contributing to the well-being of society - they seldom are. The job of the artist is to explore the depth of their imagination and works that transcend the mundane.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I have exhibited in the USA and abroad including several exhibitions in Minneapolis, MN, solo exhibitions in Lancaster, PA, Lexington, VA, and Amsterdam, the Netherlands. My favorite one was in Amsterdam of course, just for the fact to be in a gallery in the place I went to art school was very special-after living out of the country for 30 years.”
