I was born (1960) and raised in Amsterdam NL and stayed there up until 1994, when I moved to Almere (appr. 30 km northeast, in the Flevo-polder). 
I've been working in IT since 1984, originally trained as an analyst/programmer, but working as an associate project manager in the past 8 years. In the latter job I was using my analytic and creative mind mainly for creating management reports and work instructions.
 
I'm a self taught artist. Being a model railroader I had the opportunity to get in touch with a set builder, who was willing to teach how to create backdrops with paint. Most of my club members had their backdrops painted by him, but I wanted to do it myself.
This was a trigger for me to get my hand on brushes and paint. I began to enjoy painting so much, that currently model railroading has dropped to the back (pun intended :-) ). 
By watching many videos on YouTube and more or less copying the way the artists created their work I hope to have developed my own style, both in my abstract art as in the figurative works.
Besides that I've been a member of some (online) communities of drawers and painters since 2017 and still am, enjoying each others works and encouraging one another.

In 2020 I had the opportunity to take part in The Working Artist program, led by Sonja Smalheer. Main goal of the program is to show (aspiring) artists how to get and stay in touch with their audience, how to sell yourself and your art. This made me realize I wanted to try and make a living using my artistic and creative self by means of creating art (never a dull moment), in stead of just by creating management reports and work instructions (which can become a drag).

I aim to be an inspiration to my audience and share my love for creativity.