The day that you knew was coming is finally here *

Vlisco's K(r)oningsdoek

Sunday I had a blast organizing my first 'Batik Statement Fashionshow' (see my previous post 'A Batik Statement a day...'). I had 7 wonderful models and I got great reactions from the audience. Hope to do that again some day!
I'm gadering photos made during the fashionshow, so if you made photos please send them to me. I also have to edit the filmed footage, so very soon you can see more about my 'Batik Statement Fashionshow' here on my blog!

Tuesday we celebrate our last Queensday in the Netherlands. Willem-Alexander is going to be crowned that day with the lovely princess Máxima on his side.
Vlisco made a limited edition wax print for this Dutch historic event. It's unfortunally not for sale and I'm really curious who is receiving these limited yards...



The perfect way to get over the jealousy after watching this video, is by buying some wax prints for yourself. My dear boyfriend made me even happier, he gave me 2 yards of my favourit Dutch Wax Block Print from the 'Jeu De Couleurs' collection. It's not here yet, but I will share it as soon as I get it! For now some pictures of the beautiful 'Jeu De Couleurs' collection and campaign.

Vlisco's Jeu De Couleurs campaign photo by Dutch artists Freudenthal/Verhagen

Vlisco's LookBook for Jeu De Couleurs

On monday Vlisco launch their new collection. "Taking colour to the edge. Treasures from the archive. ONLY 2 NIGHTS … Until you can make a new fashion statement!". Well I can't wait!! And I hope Máxima will show up in a dress made of the Vlisco K(r)oningsdoek on Tuesday!

* Google translate of lyric from the 'Koningslied'

A Batik Statement a day...

On Sunday 21th of april during the Indonesian Cultural Festival in Best (NL) I'm invited to make Batik Statements. During the day visitors of the festival can pose in a BatikFashionPhotoShoot to create their own Batik Statement. I did a BatikFashionPhotoShoot at Taman Indonesia during the WinterFashionFair and I had a lot of fun, so I'm looking forward to Sunday.

I'm also showing Batik Statements during a fashionshow: The first Batik Statement Fashionshow! Very exciting, and I got some great Batik things to show. Next to my own little collection of Batiks, a very special collection is lent to me!
And Batik Chic also lent me some beautiful items from their Batik Tulis collection. So lucky me, I have a house full of Batiks!

Not only is Sunday special for me because I can be busy with Batiks all day, I also celebrate that I started my Batik Statement project one year ago! I received lovely statements this past year and I hope will receive many more. If you are friends with me on Facebook you might have noticed I'm sharing a Batik Statement everyday untill Sunday. I never thought that when I posted 'Sometimes I wish I was a fashion blogger' on the 14th of april, this project would grow and grow.

A celebration is not complete without some new Batik Statements, and in this case, Wax Print Statements. First one I'm wearing Vlisco's 'Happy Family' and the Batik Chic heritage slippers. On the second one I'm wearing the infinity wax print by Julius Holland Wax in the snow. Spring is finally here, so it's time to wear those Batiks! (and send me the pictures :)

* Photos made by Koen de Wit

Boek & Beeld (Book & image) at Grafisch Atelier Den Bosch

Booksculpture by Emmy Dijkstra

Saturday I went to the exhibition 'Boek & Beeld' (Book and image), a group-exhibition full of selfmade artists books at the Grafisch Atelier Den Bosch. Emmy Dijkstra shows two of her beautiful water-colored journals, so we went together. I thought it was the last weekend but it's till 14th of april, lucky you! There open on thursday till sunday from 13:00h till 17:00h.
The exhibition place of the Grafisch Atelier moved. And I really like their new location. It's still in the same building, they now have two smaller rooms. It looked really great with all the selfmade artists books. And it's a joy to visit an exhibition where you can actually touch the Art (with gloves)!

Lovely to spend time talking and flipping through art books. Made some pictures, hope you can visit the exhibition yourself. It's really inspiring, makes me want to make books (again) myself!

Journal by Emmy Dijkstra, ask the suppoost if you can see it!

Book by Yuriko Miyoshi

Detail from book by Yuriko Miyoshi

Page from the book 'T Draadje' by Els ter Horst

Book by Els ter Horst

Page from the book 'Verstopt' by Jeanet Kingsma

Loved these two books, 'Verstopt' and 'De sprong van de zwarte steen, naar de witte kei', by Jeanet Kingsma. I think it's totally made with silkscreen-prints. I just closed my butterfly-project and started with a Batik Statement project. I borrowed some Batiks and they were filled with Butterflies. My Butterfly monitoring season has started (1th of April), but unfortunately it has been to cold for Butterflies to fly. When I came across this book by Jeanet, I knew that it was good to be busy with Butterflies. Next Saturday I'm going to pick up my own copy of 'Verstopt' and it will be warm enough for spotting Butterflies!

Page from the book 'Verstopt' by Jeanet Kingsma

Page from the book 'Verstopt' by Jeanet Kingsma

Page from 'De sprong van de zwarte steen, naar de witte kei' by Jeanet Kingsma


More on www.gadenbosch.nl

Cutting Loose

Letting go, start again. The new works by Cécile Verwaaijen shown in a solo exhibition at IDFX (Markendaalseweg 36, Breda, NL) are made with this motivator. Strong, raw diamonds these new works of art are. Sometimes miles away from her previous works, yet her signature and the refinement in them is easily recognizable.
I interviewed Cécile Verwaaijen last year about her new found direction in her work. We talked about the inspiration she found in dutch samplers, her background and her love for South America. Her new works are personal and at the same time represent an almost feministic ideology. It made me proud to be an artist and a woman. Thank you for that! And thank you for the great works. Looking forward to seeing what's next.

You have to go see these works, so I'm only going to show some (details) of the works. Koen made them for me during the opening with his phone.
This Easter weekend will be your last chance to do see them, so stop looking for eggs and go see some art!

Detail from '¿Dónde están los 60 milliones de artistas muertos?', 2012 *

Detail of 'Reindeer composition with yellow stipes' (based on Mondriaan), 2013 *

'Female studies on Mondriaan', 2012/2013 *

'I am my sisters mestizo', embroided handmade dress, 2012/2013 *

During the opening Cécile was wearing a wonderful, 'power-women' skirt. She made it herself and I loved all the details in it. Army and leopard print, some pieces of wax block fabrics and different ornaments like lucky dolls and little swords. I asked her if I could also share this on my blog and I could. So enjoy!

Detail skirt

Detail skirt

Detail skirt

* All works made by Cécile Verwaaijen, www.cecileverwaaijen.nl
** Interview with artist Cécile Verwaaijen on De reis naar Batik

Batik Chic on the Pasar Malam

I went to the Pasar Malam last week in Den Haag to see the beautiful products of Batik Chic. And beautiful they are!
The lovely Dhanti Hajdenborg represents Batik Chic in the Netherlands (and Europe). It was really nice to meet her and to hear more about Batik Chic and their designer Novita Yunus.
I really like their products. I knew their collection only from Facebook, on which it always looks fantastic with photoshoots on great locations and with beautiful models. It was great to see the real deal.
The Batik Chic products are of great quality. Bags of Batik Tulis (made with canting) with leather, woven Kalimantan style clutches, Kebaya-like blouses with big lace flowers. I added a lot of things to my wish-list that day!
The search for designs with a heritage base and a new, young feel makes Batik Chic unique. Of course there are more Batik bags made in indonesia, but I think it really important that Batik Chic puts heritage first. They not only use Batik, which is specially made for Batik Chic, they also use other textile arts from Indonesia.
I bought the Batik Chic 'heritage slippers', see first picture. The 'Ulap Doyo' slippers are made of wild orchid. It looks like rough linen. They made a collection also with bags were the textile is used colored and uncolored. In 2012 Novita Yunus won a UNESCO award for her 'Ulap Doyo' slippers design (Award of excellence for handicrafts).

Dhanti had a special surprise for me in store. I'm now the proud owner of a lovely green, Batik Tulis clutch by Batik Chic (see picture above). What a wonderful gift! Thank you so much Novita and Dhanti! And keep up the good work, ladies!

BC cluthes of Batik with lace and woven

BC Batik bags, want!

BC bags of woven wild orchid

Sarong with modern Kebaya by Batik Chic

Dhanti shows how to wear the BC bolero to a customer

Me & Dhanti

More about Batik Chic in my post 'Think globally, bag locally'

Fairy wiser

On the 14th of March I had a truly magical day at the Efteling (fairy tale theme park in Kaatsheuvel). They organized a symposium to celebrated that 200 years ago the first fairy tale book "Kinder- und Hausmärchen" by the brothers Grimm was published.
When I arrived at the Efteling everything was covered with a little layer of snow, making it a Winterwonderland. The symposium was held in a special room in the Fata Morgana. The ceiling was a sparkling sky full of stars.
It was so much fun being in a room full of Efteling & fairy tale fans. Without shame we could plunge in the world of magic and at the same time learn some pretty interesting and grown up stuff. The day made me fairy wiser!

In 1812 the first edition of "Kinder- und Hausmärchen" was published in Germany. The brothers Grimm gathered 200 fairytales and legends. Ludwig Ludwig Emil Grimm, the younger brother of the Brothers Grimm, was the first illustrator for the collection of fairy tales compiled by his brothers (Kinder- und Hausmärchen, 2nd edition 1819-1822; the first edition of 1812 had not contained illustrations).*
It was surprising to learn that these first editions weren't a success. Wilhelm Grimm already adjusted the stories to make them more 'bedtime story-proof'. Mothers became stepmothers. And references to sexuality were written out. He also added more emotions to the characters then found in the 'original' written down versions.**

Despite of this adaptations the Dutch translation from 1820 was received as an ill-written, child-unfriendly book with 'sickening illustrations'.*** In the Dutch edition not many so called 'magical fairy tales' were in it. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White didn't make the selection. These stories are now the most popular and well-known fairy tales together with Little Red Riding Hood.
Hans Christian Andersen stories like Little Mermaid (from 1836) had more success. It took until 1857 for the Grimm fairytales to become popular. The Grimm brothers got more famous themselves, they published the book when they were in their twenties and after that they made some groundbreaking grammatical, linguistic works and had some political influence. There fame grew and the Grimm fairy tales became the legends they are today.

I learned a lot that day about the stories and their history during the symposium. Also it gave me new insights to continue my search. Ever since I'm reading about Batik Belanda, I'm fascinated by the fairytale batiks. I'm still looking for the original illustration on which they based these batiks. They started to make this batiks around 1850. At the end of the 19th century the fairy tales Batiks, especially Little Red Riding Hood, were very high fashion. This was in sync with the popularity of fairytales in Europe. The first fairy tale designs were made by Carolina Josephina von Franquemont who started her Batikworkshop in 1845 nearby Semarang.
More about this very interesting subject read my post 'Little Red Riding Hood, where are you going?'.

We not only got a lot of interesting lectures, we also were guests at the revealing of the statue of the brothers Grimm. When we left the Fata Morgana, heading towards the Fairy tale-forrest, it was snowing. The sun broke through like magic at the moment the statue was revealed!

The day ended at the nice water spectacle 'Aquanura'. I didn't had the opportunity to see it before, at my previous visit to the Efteling they were still building it. To experience it a little for yourself flip fast through the last three!

Little Red Riding Hood, her wolf and other fairy tale characters accompanied us during the day

Aquanura

Three fun facts I discovered during the symposium to conclude this post:
In Germany there was a tradition that young women wore a red hood to show that they were not married.
In the original story by Grimm Little Red Riding Hood is not wearing a basket, but is carrying the gifts for her Grandmother under her apron.
And last but not least Cinderella's slipper was made out of gold.

The End.

* From Wikipedia
** from the lecture by Harlinda Lox, Vice-chairman Europäische Märchengesellschaft
*** from the lecture by Vanessa Joosen, autor of 'Wit als sneeuw, zwart als inkt'

More on www.200jaargrimm.nl

Crochet creatures and colorful felt at the Breda's Museum

'Dumb Question #1: When Do You Get Your Ideas?' by Linda Barlow

Yesterday I was at the opening of Cécile Verwaaijen's exhibition 'Cutting Loose' at IDFX in Breda. I interviewed her last year about her new found direction in her work (see blogpost 'Interview with artist Cécile Verwaaijen'). She made really beautiful, strong, striking new works. Inspiring and a real must-see!
More about this exhibition 'Cutting Loose' on her website www.cecileverwaaijen.nl.

The best thing is there is even more strong textile art being exhibited in Breda at the moment. Last weekend three textile exhibitions started at the Breda's Museum!

First some pictures of quilts from the European Art Quilts VII. I went with a pretty traditional idea in mind and I was surprised to find such mature, artful textile works. The works are displayed lovely and you can enjoy them from a distance and up close. The details are fantastic. Sometimes it looks more made by sewing machine then by hand, but it's still really amazing what they can create.

Detail from 'In Town' by Brigitte Kopp

'Love, Not War' by Bente Vold Klausen

Detail from 'Love, Not War' by Bente Vold Klausen

'Waiting For The First Snow' by Irina Fomina


On the first floor of the Brada's Museum two artist from Breda show their textile art. First: Miek Vlamings.

Yet another surprise. I'm usually not so fond of felt art. For me, most of the time, it looks blurry and has a high hobby-feel to it. Not the works of Miek Vlamings. They have a strong clarity in them. It doesn't look accidental, she knows her material and what she wants to show. Maybe the making process itself is experimental, but this sculptures look like they have been created intentionally.
In the informational brochure from the museum Miek Vlamings tells a little about how she went from graphic designer to artist. She also mentions natural dyeing with herbs and other sources from nature. A really interesting subject, unfortunately they only put the titles in the brochure and not the materials. This extra information would have been the cherry on the cake!

Second: Johanna Schweizer.

I have know Johanna for a while now and I'm always enjoying her artworks very much. Last year we were on holiday together and she was making some little skulls in the backseat of the car. It's wonderful to see how with something as sweetly as crochet, strong sculptures are being created.
Johanna's work is full of symbolism and refers to old, magical, voodoo-like characters. Ghosts from her past combined with epic, historical figures.
Here are some sneak previews of her crochet creatures. Enjoy, but make sure to enjoy them in real life!

The textile exhibitions at the Breda's Museum are till the 5th of May. Cécile Verwaaijen's 'Cutting Loose' is open till the first of April at IDFX, Markendaalseweg 36 in Breda.

* All pictures made by me, if you copy them, please do not forget to mention the artists names, thnx!