Koen's Art
Artist Painter
Koen De Clercq
My creative process
I spend a lot of time observing the waves and the colors of the ocean. Every time I walk along the shore, I feel the urge to start a new painting. I study the movement of the waves and the nuances of the water, and I make videos with my smartphone to analyze later in my studio. I search for that one moment that stuck with me: the crashing of a wave, the light breaking through the water, or the serene vastness of a calm sea.
These images form the basis for my next painting, but it is never my intention to simply make a copy. The original image evolves in shape and color. Sometimes I leave out parts of a wave, or add elements from other waves. With small sketches I experiment with different compositions. I do not consider it a problem that my smartphone does not capture the exact colors and contrasts. Before I start a larger work, I paint a series of smaller studies anyway to find the right color palette and the most striking contrasts.
I strive to find a balance between detail and emotion, capturing the play of light, shadow and movement in nature using classical oil painting techniques. Ultimately, I want to transport the viewer into moments of reflection and wonder at the natural world.
From Then to Now
I made my first oil painting when I was 10 years old. As a teenager I enrolled at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Kortrijk, where my passion for drawing and painting grew. Later my profession brought me to the United States, where I lived in Georgia and Virginia, close to the coast. This period turned out to be an opportunity to further develop my art. My style evolved, and I started capturing the bright light, cloud formations and beaches of the East Coast.
During the 12 years I spent in the US, I continued to refine my painting and drawing skills. The sea, and especially the waves, began to play an increasingly central role in my work. Back in Europe, I decided to fully focus on my art and today I divide my time between two inspiring locations: the North Sea in Ostend, Belgium, and the Costa Blanca in Spain. Both offer an inexhaustible source of inspiration.