Seeds of Hope Ophrys apifera This artwork is inspired by Dr. Jane Goodall’s beautiful book ‘Seeds of Hope’ and represents 2021 painted orchid seeds and 1 seedling. Although orchid fruit can contain so many more seeds, this number represents the year I started reading ‘Seeds of Hope’, in the middle of the pandemic when everything seemed hopeless for so many people. At the same time the environmental issues seemed hopeless as well, but it is Goodall’s positive messages that bring inspiration. Together with Douglas Abrams she also wrote ‘The book of Hope’ in which they discuss four powerful reasons for hope, one of which is ‘The Resilience of Nature’. This resilience is represented in the artwork by that one seedling that will sprout and grow into an extraordinary orchid. Watercolour paint on Arches hot pressed paper Framed 65 x 85 cm (26 x 33.5 inch) Signed on the lower left side Available

Giant orchid Himantoglossum robertianum Two thousand twenty five painted orchid Seeds of Hope An orchid native to the Mediterranean Basin, this Giant orchid was first found flowering in the Netherlands in 2020. With the warmer winters it has been able to survive and even flower. Nature is resilient, and can adapt, if we give her a cnance.		Root of Hope Ophrys species Bee orchid This artwork is inspired by primatologist and UN Messenger of Peace Dr. Jane Goodall, who travels the world to share her inspiring message and ideas. Her Jane Goodall Institute runs the program Roots & Shoots that aims at bringing together young people to work on environmental, conservation and humanitarian issues. With this painting I aim to touch upon one of their messages of Hope: Nature is very resilient. From what at first seems to be a brown and dead orchid, new life will grow in the midsts of winter from its tuber, the Root of Hope.
Watercolour on paper 80 x 60 cm ( 31.5 x 23.6  inch)		Watercolour on paper 45 x 75 cm (17.8 x 29.5 inch) In private collection

Norway maple Acer platanoides Watercolour & graphite on paper 60 x 80 cm ( 29.5 x 17.8 inch)		Beech Fagus sylvatica Watercolour on vellum Framed size 15 x 15 cm (5.9 x 5.9 inch) Framed in Dutch Beech wood

Yarrow Achillea millefolium Yarrow has been associated with the ancient Greek hero Achilles. He would have used this herb in the was against Troy because of its wound-healing properties. In the thirteenth century literature Yarrow is also described as Herba sanguinaria. Besides being used in medicine, the plant has also been used for creating a range of green to yellow to brownish-yellow colours on natural fibres such as wool, cotton, silk and linen. Nowadays it is recognized that it provides food for so many insect species. This common plant has its own important role within our ecosystem and together with other plants, animals and micro-organisms it contributes to the processes that support life on Earth. Everything is connected.		Fair Trade Coffee Coffea arabica More than a billion people around the world drink coffee every day. It's one of the most traded commodities. Drinking coffee seems like the most normal thing in the world, yet many of the people who grow this beloved product can't make a living. Child labor is also prevalent, especially in communities where people barely earn a living wage. Moreover, climate change poses a growing threat, and coffee farming is becoming increasingly difficult. But by drinking coffee more consciously, there is hope for both humanity and nature. Our choices make a difference, no matter how small. Which choice will you make?
Watercolour on vellum 20 x 15 cm ( 17.8 x 29.5  inch)		Fair trade coffee and watercolour on paper Framed size 43.5x32 cm (17.1x12.6 in) Framed in Dutch Oak wood

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