A sustainable artist and entrepreneur from the Netherlands, I started out as a natural scientist with undergraduate degrees in physics and mathematics and a Master’s degree in biomedical image sciences. My understanding of nature nurtured a deep appreciation for nature. Merging the worlds of science and art, my works reflect the divine of nature by means of its timeless beauty and continual regeneration.

As a passionate artist-gardener, I have also designed my garden to be an earthly version of Paradise, full of colourful plants that can be used in my art practice. It is an organic, edible and bee-friendly paradise in the middle of the city, filled with all sorts of fruit trees, berry bushes and edible flowers. My garden is full of life, movement and hustle and bustle of small creatures, and a big source of inspiration for my art. 

As an artist, my views on life and my love for nature inspired the question: can art and sustainability go together? When I started my journey as an artist in 2017, I soon found that the use of heavy metals in paints abound, many inks are extremely toxic, and that sustainable materials and holistic artworks are virtually non-existing. It got me thinking: how can I make a difference and ignite a transition in the world of art towards truly sustainable alternatives?

Starting this transition required creativity and unconventional approaches, a challenge right up my alley. A researcher by background, I have now found my place at the Prince’s Foundation: School of Traditional Arts in London. Here, I am conduction a PhD research on the topic of Paradise, and it’s implications for sustainability in the arts. It is a labor of love, combining my scientific training with my passion for nature and art.