Background

I was born in Voorburg (1947) and live in Rotterdam. My interest in drawing and painting started at secondary school in Tilburg. I did HBS-B and especially spatial mathematics (stereometry) really appealed to me. I also took drawing lessons there from a well-known painter, Jan Asselbergs. He thought I should go to art school, but because of the poor job market prospects I didn't do that at the time. I actually wanted to become an architect myself. Instead, I went to study law and later worked for a long time as a associate professor in Health Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam and as a legal advisor at the Dutch Association of Hospitals.

Painting since the 80s

Nevertheless, my interest in (spatial) drawing and painting remained and since the end of the eighties I have picked up that thread again carefully, in addition to my work. I took painting lessons at the Stichting Kunstzinnige Vorming in Rotterdam (SKVR) in acrylic, watercolor and oil painting. After my retirement I started specializing in oil painting. In line with my previous interest in architecture, I focused on industrial and cultural heritage. An inexhaustible theme.

Style and influence

In my work I have been influenced by artists such as Pieter Saenredam, M.C. Esscher and Hopper and the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright, among others.

I have been making my oil paintings since 2013 in my studio at Vest 69 in Gouda. The source of inspiration for my paintings are abandoned and often dilapidated industrial buildings, which I usually capture just before demolition or renovation through sketches and photos. I painted buildings on the Spoorzone in Tilburg, the Leerfabriek in Oisterwijk, Zollverein near Essen, the Rope Factory in Oudewater and the Electriciteitsfabriek in The Hague. In addition to industrial heritage, I also paint cultural heritage: well-maintained or restored buildings with a cultural value. Examples are: the Royal Waiting Room at Hollands Spoor station, the Citizens' Hall of the City Hall in Rotterdam and the metro stations of the new North / South line in Amsterdam.

I want to make my paintings a special experience through the use of color and light. Dark desolation has to make way for light and warmth. I regularly add characters to the heritage that give the image a different or extra meaning. Some paintings contain a "hidden message" or a reference to current events.

Technic

When creating my paintings I draw the basic pattern of the buildings and monuments based on previously taken photos and usually sketch directly on the canvas. I often use acrylic paint as a base coat. For the details I apply acrylic modeling paste and sometimes gold foil or parchment paper. I paint the top layers with oil paint and to get a depth effect the painting is often made up of different layers of glaze.

Prices and exhibitions

I have now been nominated several times with my paintings and have won many prizes nationally and internationally (see Annual Review 2019-2021 below). I regularly exhibit in galleries and at well-known Dutch art fairs, such as Art Eindhoven, the National Art Days and the Annual Dutch Art Fair. Furthermore, my work has so far been exhibited in eight European countries, in the United States and China. Exhibitions are planned for 2021 at the Europe Art Fair in De Gashouder in Amsterdam and the Tokyo Art Fair in Japan.

Future

With my work I am always looking for new challenges and I try new perspectives. For example, I was asked by a publisher in Bonn to supply three new paintings for an art book on the occasion of Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th birthday. The theme is: "Moonlight Sonatas". For me it is a nice puzzle to depict this theme in three paintings and at the same time make a connection with cultural heritage. 'Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor' (Moonlight Sonata) and 'Where's the Countess?' are the result of that.

My paintings can be found at www.berthermans.kunstinzicht.nl and by telephone appointment in the studio at Vest 69 in Gouda: 06-55324696

Overview Bert Hermans paintings 2019-present

2023

1. Exposities

- Galerie 'Kunst bij Karel', Gorinchem, 6-1-2023 t/m 2-4-2023

- Brabant Art Fair, Spoorzone Tilburg, 18-3-2023 t/m 19-3-2023

- 'Parallel Worlds', online expositie Contemporary Art Curator Magazine, 20-09-2023 t/m 20-12-2023.

2. Nominates en prijzen

-  Tweede prijs 'Excellent Art Book Design Award 2022', Enter into Art, Lounge 3, Gabriele Walter, jan. 2023.

-  Award of Excellence, Artist of the Year 2022-2023 contest, Circle Foundation for the Arts, febr. 2023.

-  Light Space & Time, Special Recognition Award en Honorable Mention Award, 13th Cityscapes Art Competition, maart 2023.

-  Winnaar Collectors Art Prize, Contemporary Art Curator Magazine, maart 2023.

-  Award of Artistic Excellence, Spotlight Magazine Cover Contest, Circle Foundation for the Arts, maart 2023.

-  Finalist Award  ArtIDEAL Magazine Cover Contest, Circle Foundation for the Arts’, Lyon, juni 2023.

-  Winnaar ‘TALENT PRIZE AWARD’ in de 9e ‘ABSTRACT art competition’, Teravarna, Italië., juni 2023.

-  Finalist Award Circle Foundation for the Arts, participation RED DOT Miami Art Fair, juli 2023

-  Winnaar 'Free presentation in the 13th issue of World Wide Art Magazine Contest', Artavita, juli 2023.

-  'Publieksnominatie Kunstenaar van het jaar 2024', Stichting Kunstweek, Oosterhout 2023.

-  Finalist Award, Artavita, september 2023.

-  World of Art, Artist of the Year 2023 Award for the Best in Art & Creativity, september 2023.

3. Publicaties

- Excellent Art, Enter into Art, Lounge 3, Gabriele Walter ed. Königswinter, Duitsland, p. 94-95.

- Museum- en Galeriekrant voorjaar 2023, p. 24.

- Vind, Geschiedenis, Archeologie, Kunst en Antiek, nr. 49, 2023, p. 148.

- The First Berliner Art Book 2023, Art Management Berlijn, Berlijn, Duitsland, maart 2023, p. 18 - 19.

- 'Color Symphonies, Enter into Art,  Kurt Ries (ed.), Königswinter, Duitsland, maart 2023. p.16-17.

2022

1. Scheduled Exhibits

- Gallery De Tuinkamer, Industrial Heritage, 21-1-2022 to 5-3-2022

- Solo exhibition Industrial and cultural heritage, Gouderak Library, 15-3-2022 to 15-6-2022

- EuropArtFair, Amsterdam, 30-9-2022 to 2-10-2022

- National Art Days, Gorinchem, 19-11-2022 to 20-11-2021

2. Nominations and awards

- Awarded Artist 50th Artavita Online Contest with theme 'Hope', February 2022.

2021

1. Forthcoming Exhibitions

-       EuropArtFair, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2-7-2021 until 4-7-2021

-       Tokyo International Art Fair, Tokio, Japan, 8-10-2021 until 9-10-2021

-       Kunststroming Gouda, Netherlands,10-9-2021 until 12-9-2021

-       Art Eindhoven, Eindhoven, 4-9-2021 until 5-9-2021

-       Nationale Kunstdagen, Gorinchem, Netherlands, 6-11-2021 until 7-11-2021

-       Artexpo New York, USA, 18-11-2021 until 21-11-2021

2. Nominations and awards

- Gallery Winner of 2020, National Atelier, 1/12/2021.

- Artavita, Finalist Certificate 43rd. Online Contest, exhibition Artexpo New York in November 2021, February 2021

- Artavita, Winner 44th Artavita Online Contest, March 2021, April 2021

- Light Space & Time, Special Recognition Award, 11th Annual "Figurative" Online Art Competition, April 2021

- National Atelier, Exhibition winner, theme "Blast Furnaces", April 2021

- Circle Foundation for the Arts, Certificate of Artistic Excellence, 6th Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine Contest, May 2021

- Artavita, Finalist Certificate 46th Online Contest, exhibition San Diego in October 2021, June 2021

- Tokyo GLOBAL ART AWARD 2021, Finalist, 'De Harpist' 11-10-2021

- Circle Foundation for the Arts, Certificate of Artistic Excellence, 7th Circle Quarterly Art Review Magazine Contest, October 2021

- Winner of the 48th Artavita Online Contest and selected with the paintings 'Holy Light' and 'Hora Est' for publication in the World Wide Art Magazine.

- Awarded Artist for artwork distinguished in the 49th Artavita Online Art Contest competing for the Artist of the Year 2021 title and selected for inclusion in an Artavita virtual exhibition, Dec. 2021.

- Second Prize Winner (back cover), Enter into Art, Art Lounge 2/2, Book project and contest 'Moonlight Sonatas for Beethoven', Dec. 2021

3.  Publications

- World Wide Art Magazine, 2020, Issue 10, Vol. 1 February 2021, p. 125.

- Current Masters, 6, World-wide Art Books, Santa Barbara, USA, maart 2021, p. 60.

- Kunst Vitamine Special, 2021, p. 40.

- Vind, History, Archeology, Art and Antiques, no. 41, 2021, p. 145.

- The First Berliner Art Book 2021, Art Management Berlin, Berlin, Germany, February 2021, p. 20-21.

- Spotlight, Contemporary Art Magazine, 22 Circle Foundation, Lyon, France, p. 78-79.

- Catalogus 2021 EuropArtFair 2021, Amsterdam, p. 44-45.

- Art Retreat, Enter into Art, Vol. 6, Königswinter, Germany, May 2021, p. 63.

- Catalogus Art Eindhoven, Klokgebouw Eindhoven 2021, p. 29.

- Jaarboek kunstenaars 22, Stichting Kunstweek, Raamsdonksveer, 2021, p. 70-71.

- Kunst Vitamine, Herfst 2021, p. 5.

- Catalogus 2021, Nationale Kunstdagen, Gorinchem, p. 30-31.

- Vind, Geschiedenis, Archeologie, Kunst en Antiek, nr. 44, 2021, p. 124

- Spotlight, Contemporary Art Magazine, 26 Circle Foundation, Lyon, France, p. 75.

2020

1.Exhibitions

-       Los Angeles (LA) Art Show, Los Angeles, USA, 5-2-2020 until 9-2-2020

-       Annual Dutch Art Fair, Amsterdam, 9-10-2020 until 11-10-2020

2. Nominations and awards

- Artavita 35th Online Contest, Winner Free Publication in World Wide Art Magazine, January 2020

- World of Art, Artist of the Year 2020 Award for the Best in Art & Creativity, January 2020

- Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery, Winner "Solo Art Series" Solo Art Exhibitions, January 2020

- Circle Foundation for the Arts, Artist of the Year Award, Honorable Mention Award, January 2020

- Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery, Cityscipes, Special Merit Award "The Last Civil Servant", February 2020

- Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery, Cityscipes, Special Recognition Award "Graffiti House" February 2020

- Artavita, 1st Place Award, 37th Online Contest, Winner free exhibition San Diego Art Fair in September 2020, March 2020

- Circle Foundation for the Arts, Certificate of Artistic Excellence, June 2020

- Contemporary Art Curator Magazine, Artist of the Future Award, November, 14, 2020

3.  Publications

- World of Art, Contemporary Art Magazine, Guggenheim Issue, 10, Vol 1, 2020, p. 125.

- The First Berliner Art Book 2020, Art Management Berlin, Berlin, Germany, February 2020

- Important World Artists, 4, World-wide Art Books, Santa Barbara, USA, March 2020

- Contemporary Art Station, Art Collector's Choice, London, March 2020

- Spotlight, Contemporary Art Magazine, 18 Circle Foundation, Lyon, France, p. 42-43.

- Vind, History, Archeology, Art and Antiques, no. 38, 2020, p. 145.

- World Wide Art Magazine, 2020, Issue 2, June 2020, p. 72-77.

2019

1. Exhibitions

- The Illusion of Reality, Bologna, Italië, 28-11-2019 until 12-12-2019

- Participant Dutch Artist Studio Exhibitions, Fall 2019, Gouda, 16-11-2019 until 17-11-2019

- Dutch National Art Days, Nieuwegein, 09-11-2019 until 10-11-2019

- Annual Dutch Art Fair, Amsterdam, 11-10-2019 until 13-10-2019

- 'Patrimoine industriel et culturel', Clémont, Sologne, France, 13-09-2019 until 16-09-2019

- Technics on the SS Rotterdam, Rotterdam, 27-07-2019 until 27-07-2019

- Participant Dutch Artist Studio Exhibitions, Summer 2019, Gouda, 22-06-2019 until 23-06-2019

- Artexpo New York, New York, USA, 04-04-2019 until 07-04-2019

- 'Industrial and Cultural Heritage', Evertshuis, Bodegraven, 07-02-2019 until 04-04-2019

2. Nominations and Awards

- Circle Foundation for the Arts, Artist of the Year Award, Certificate of Excellence, 22 Jan 2019

- Artavita 30th Online Contest, Certificate of Excellence, Jan. 2019

- Light Space Time, Special Merit Award, ‘Overblaak’, Feb. 2019

- Circle Foundation for the Arts, Honorable Mention Award, 19 April 2019

- Artavita 31th Online Contest, Certificate of Excellence, 30 April 2019

- Artavita, Contest Finalist Certificate, Art San Diego, USA, May 2019

- Light Time Space, Landscapes Art Exhibition, Special Merit Award, ‘Small Road near Fen', June 2019

- Artavita 33th Online Contest, Certificate of Excellence, Spectrum Miami Art Fair, USA, August 2019

- Annual Dutch Art Fair, Winner Art Services Fair Award, Amsterdam Oct. 2019

- Nomination Dutch Painting of the Year 2019, ‘The Cathedral’, November 2019.

- Light Space Time, Enter into Art, Lounge 2 Excellence Jury Award, November 2019

- The Illusion of Reality, Award of Excellence, Bologna, Italy, 30 November, 2019

3. Publications

- Spotlight, Contemporary Art Magazine, 13, Circle Foundation, Lyon, France, p. 10-11.

- The First Berliner Art Book, 2019, Art Management Berlin, 2019, p. 22-23.

- Vind, History, Archaeology, Art and Antiques, 33, 2019, p. 113..

- Art & Beyond, Vol 59, April 2019, P. 38.

- Spotlight, Contemporary Art Magazine, 14, Circle Foundation, Lyon, France, p. 45-47