Born and raised in the Netherlands, I have been exposed to the arts and the great Masters of the past. One of my goals is to research the possibility of an ancestral connection with Rembrandt, whose last name was also van Rijn. My former art teacher observed we share the same nose which may not sound like a compliment but I love it.

Black and white art has always held my fascination and when I started to experiment with stark black and white portraits in acrylics and oils, I knew I had found my passion. I refer to my style as "stand-back" art and I love the way the personalities come to life on the canvas without the "noise" of color. A recent addition to my black and white paintings are vivid background colors, complementing the subject matter.

Commissions Welcome!