She took drawing and fine art lessons and studied Colour science with artist Dick Meeldijk, one of the experts in the Netherlands on this subject. He explained that every colour has its meaning and influence and that that is different for everyone. Being highly sensitive the colours had a big impact on her. An important revelation. Especially magenta (magic and fire) , yellow ochre (earth) and turquoise (water and air) fascinated her. Now she realises she lets the colours do the talking.

Spending may summers in the south of France she used lighter colours and let the mediterranean atmosphere inspire her. Through the years she visited several museums in Nice and Antibes and admired the powerful work of Nicolas de Stael and Yves Klein.

In 2006 she discovered the work of Willem de Kooning and Sam Francis, an American expressive colorist, and saw Karel Appel’s work in an Amsterdam gallery.  She feels very much connected with those three famous artists and loves their free, energetic way of using paint. In the same year she moved to live on the coast to be near the sea and the wide, sandy beaches. The natural elements empty her mind, heal and inspire her up to this moment. The connection with nature is essential in both life and work. After fifteen years of being an artist she was able to see her whole transformation process as a person in her art. She keeps on feeling this strong urge to express her inner world and is always ready for new adventures.

Music became an important companion in her studio. Among others the songs of U2, David Bowie and Sade, but also latin music play a leading role in her work. She literally goes with the flow. Besides colours, her art is all about textures, mixed media, dynamics and experimenting with various techniques and materials.  Because her paintings  picture her internal images she calls them Landscapes of the Soul. Since 2011 Josée works as an art teacher for several institutes and she also is a board member of an artist collective in Hillegom.

“The four elements Water, Fire, Earth and Air keep inspiring me. I often stroll along the North Sea coast to collect materials to use like sand, wood and rope. It emphasizes my strong connection with nature. Through my work I am in a constant transformation and transition process which makes the journey fascinating and insightful. Main themes are Flow and Connection. My work is an invitation to feel and maybe experience the messages that lay hidden inside. I try to be authentic, be myself. I call it the Liberty of letting go.”

By Josée van Schuppen.

Website: www.joseevanschuppen.nl