Interview
Tiny de Bruin
Tiny's paintings depict defining moments in her life, a central theme she has termed, 'Patterns of Life'. The patterns of life tell a story of the different processes and experiences that are so fundamental to human beings. Her inspiration comes from nature, her immediate surroundings and the stories she hears or reads. Her work is abstract figurative, and uses cheerful colors to express her creativity and enthusiasm.
Could you tell us a little about yourself? What has brought you into the art world?
I am Tiny de Bruin and I started painting in 2005, paused for a while, and then started again in 2012 when my mother died. At that point I tried everything to sell my art, and I painted my whole life of course, but some of the comments I got were ‘you should be able to draw people before you can be an artist’, and that kind of belief held me back for years. I really had to work on not taking what I heard from artists as truth. At this moment I do what I want and sell quite successfully.
Why do you do what you do?
In earlier days, I didn’t feel great and felt like I was missing a feeling of purpose. An important reason for that is that I like art, but grew up in an environment where art was nothing. I also married somebody who said art was useless. So, after all, I did have a purpose, but only thought I did not. Art was a hobby, but I always felt better after painting and even many times felt happy because I fell in love with my own paintings. I was not aware of the fact that these feelings could be the solution for all my troubles. So when I paint, I clear my mind, but meanwhile also make something people like and want to have on their walls.
What inspires you most?
Colours. That can be bright colours, but also natural colours. Layer over layer really makes me very happy. I love when you can see still through it and see another layer, and altogether it just makes your artwork.
“I make uplifting and tranquil paintings. It is colours, figures, sea, nature, whatever you think of when you look at the painting. The message is always hitting something heavy and becoming happy again afterwards. That good feeling is always expressed through the painting.”
What process, materials, or techniques do you use to create your artwork?
Most of the time I only work with acrylics. When they do dry in relief, I use that relief in the next layer. I work with sand and charcoal because they both have special effects on the canvas. Also, the used coffee makes a special brown with white acrylic. Sometimes I use pasta, but I am seldom happy with it. As natural and thin as I can work the better, I feel, and it gives room for layers. However, having only one thin colour with white and nothing more, but still creating a strong piece of work, is most appealing to me.
Is there a connection between your message and the way you make your art?
The message is tranquility. The colourful works, I don’t know how, but there’s a certain tranquility that comes after working everything that is in your mind out on the canvas. Even the full paintings can let you indulge in the artwork and lose your mind by absorbing everything that’s happening in the painting.
What’s your favourite artwork and why?
‘You take my breath away’
I started this painting with some yoga exercises on the canvas. The picture looked like lungs. Then after putting some figures on, it, (I laid down on the canvas and drew lines around my body), I saw that one figure was a female, but the other was male. They run together in life. In the back, you have the impression of two hands carrying a baby. Holding it close in their hands, with love.
It is about my marriage that ended and the child that we lost. It is about losing everything that is important in life to create something new. It is big and has almost no colors. (200x180).