About Janne

I am a contemporary abstract artist working primarily with mixed media on canvas. Using acrylics layered with texture, I create intuitive, expressive works that sit within abstract and abstract expressionism. Born in the Netherlands, I have spent more than a decade living abroad in Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia, and I am currently based in Bali. As a mother of two young boys, I have learned to find beauty in chaos, surrender, and imperfection, elements that deeply influence my artistic voice.

Painting has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a young child, I was already drawn to abstract forms, bold colours, and textured surfaces. Over the years, my style moved through different phases, yet I continually returned to abstraction as the most honest reflection of my inner world. I am self-taught, supported by various courses taken along the way, but I intentionally loosen my grip on technique in the studio. In contrast to my highly organised and pragmatic daily life, defined by lists, plans, and structure, painting became a space of release. Learning to let go has been a journey, one I both cherish and sometimes struggle with, and this tension lives quietly within my work.

Nature is my primary source of inspiration: the shifting colours of the sky, the tones of plants and flowers, and the subtle beauty found outdoors. I am equally inspired by everyday moments, unexpected colour combinations in the street, a texture brushed past, or light falling in just the right way. To ground my work in time and place, I often incorporate local materials such as sand, soil, or coffee. These elements tie each painting to where it was created, turning the work into a snapshot of my life in that moment and a deeply intuitive expression of my inner state.

I approach each canvas without a plan. There are no sketches, no rules, and no predefined outcome, only instinct. This intuitive way of working is a sacred part of my practice and stands in deliberate contrast to my structured daily life. Painting has become a meditative experience, a place where my thoughts quiet, awareness fades, and I turn inward.

My process typically begins with bright, layered base colours, followed by the addition of texture using local materials. I continuously add, subtract, reshape, and revisit the surface. Discomfort is part of the journey; I often dislike a piece midway through. When I reach a point of ease and resonance, when the work simply feels right, I know it is finished. Most paintings evolve far from where they began, carrying within them the traces of change, emotion, and surrender.

Through my work, I hope to draw the viewer in, to invite them to linger, explore the layers, and feel the quiet story beneath the surface. I want my paintings to offer a sense of stillness, to reflect a journey of emotional shifts and transformation, and ultimately to bring warmth, calm, and happiness into the space they inhabit.

Much like my art, I am layered and diverse. I find deep peace in quiet moments in nature, yet can be equally energised by social connection; it all depends on the mood. I am endlessly curious and drawn to diversity: new cultures, languages, foods, and perspectives. For me, painting and living are deeply intertwined, both guided by intuition, openness, and a willingness to embrace change.