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(Alphen a/d Rijn)

Gert Jan Veenstra
(Dutch painter)

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gert jan veenstra koeien

Landscape study- acrylics on board- ©copyright Gert Jan Veenstra

HOLLAND
De hemel grootsch en grauw.
daaronder het geweldig laagland met de plassen;
boomen en molens, kerktorens en kassen,
verkaveld door de slooten, zilvergrauw.

dit is mijn land, mijn volk;
dit is de ruimte waarin ik wil klinken.
laat mij één avond in de plassen blinken,
daarna mag ik verdampen als een wolk.

                                            -H.Marsman -

When I think of Holland, I imagine polders as far as the eye can see, with grazing cattle, windmills and farms, weeping willows and the sky , the endless, breathtaking sky with the most beautiful cloud formations you have ever seen . . . . . ah Holland !

Then I saw this painting by Dutch painter Gert Jan Veenstra on the net and I got tears in my eyes. I had not been home in many years and the paintings of this extraordinary artist made me feel to take a plane right now and BE there, in that meadow, with that peaceful feeling, bees buzzing around, the smell of summer in the air ........

I used to do this: take my bike and ride into the polders, opening one heavy wooden gate after the other, then closing them carefully behind me again
( for the cows not to get out ) and finally just lying in the grass at the slope of a small dike, playing with grasses and little frogs, just savouring the moment. Wish I could go back again to that moment in time.........

And then ....... I was there ! I went back to visit home after almost 19 years and I met Gert Jan and his lovely wife and children. His paintings are every bit as beautiful as they look on this page. Come and visit Gert Jan with me....


North Holland's landscape- oil on canvas-Gert Jan Veenstra ©copyright

And this is what Holland looks like in winter. The atmosphere of this painting makes my heart expand. Look at that sky, look at the stillness, yet " gezelligheid" (coziness ) of that landscape, can you feel how warm and protected you are inside those farms with the smoke rising from their chimneys? I feel myself drawn to this painting and into this painting and I wish I knew a magic spell that would transplant me .... and there I am: to the left, walking towards that farm, smelling the crisp air, snow crunching under my boots, knowing that a nice bowl of "erwtensoep" is waiting for me. Sigh !

I would like to thank Gert Jan Veenstra for his kind permission to use his paintings on my homepage. I am quite overwhelmed by his art.
Please visit Gert Jan Veenstra's Homepage to see more of his beautiful paintings.

 
LANDSCHAP

Grijze wilgen over 't water;
'n Visser die daar rustig tuurt;
Enkele eenden met gesnater
Om dat wonder in hun buurt...

Zonlicht door het lage lover;
Middag die in rust vergaat;
En de hoge hemel over
't Weiland dat in trillig staat

In mij rijst het stil ontroeren
Van dit over-schone land,
Waar van ver de blauwe boeren
Langzaam maaien, zwaar van hand ...

                              

- J. Zeldenthuis -

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