Featured Artist Bonita Balster Hendriks from the Netherlands.

Bonita Balster Hendriks: a lifetime interest in things artistic

Hello from the Netherlands. I live with my husband, daughter Luna, four years old, and three cats.

Artistic interest began in childhood

Ever since I was a young child I have always been creating. I remember always having some sheets of drawing paper or a sketchbook around, together with a graphite pencil and a reference picture of a celebrity.

Naturally, I practised and practised, trying to capture the portrait on paper.  Getting lost in the process, I could easily spend hours drawing and this continued until the end of my teenage years.

Then my work as a primary school teacher became my main focus and I stopped drawing.

After a couple of years I started to miss creating, but I also felt the need to try something else.

 

Bead Embroidery Versatility

As a result, I fell in love with bead embroidery, a beadwork technique in which a needle and thread are used to stitch beads to a fabric surface. I loved the versatility of it. By combining materials and playing with beads, you can really create something unique.

Although bead embroidery is a slow process, I enjoy every moment of it and I can really get inside my own little ‘bubble’.

Since that time I create all kinds of bead embroidery jewelry and enjoy wearing them as well.

Then with the birth of my daughter my life changed: after the C-section I started experiencing severe chronic nerve pain.

Drawing Re-discovered

While going through this difficult period I re-discovered drawing. Once more, I started to experiment and play with other mediums as well, loving the use of colour and endless possibilities of mixed media.

 

Thankfully, drawing and painting made me able to express my inner feelings again, and to find some calm and joy. Creating has become immensely important to me; it helps me to handle the chronic nerve pain and helps me to stay positive.

Details have always captured my attention. I currently love to create in different mediums. My portrait drawing skills have further developed and I’m now using colored pencil, watercolor, acrylics, and also graphite.

 

 

In addition, I love the process of mixed media, where I basically create a background with all kinds of materials and finally add a portrait on top.

 

 

Online classes, teach me more about different techniques/ mediums and help me develop my art further.

I create for myself; to express my inner feelings, to find calm and joy, to escape to another world where anything is possible!

Find Bonita Balster Hendriks on Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook Embroidery.

Facebook Art.

Instagram Embroidery

Instagram Art.

I would love to connect with you!

 

To view other artists who have been featured on my website in the last 3.5  years, please visit the Guest Artist page.

I am grateful for all the talented, productive artists and creatives from all over the world (photographer, author...) who have appeared on Louise's ARTiculations.

If you are a creative and would like to be featured in this space, please contact me. This feature will continue this year as my goal is to share the wonderful work of all types of creatives.

I do not charge a fee to showcase your creative work!