Karien Heijtlager

During the nineties she studied Sculpture at the Academy of Arts in Utrecht. On commission she makes portraits and other work for indoors as well as outdoors, mainly in bronze. In her work as a private artist the main themes are meetings and emotions. She focuses on styling the expressions of human emotions. She works in The Hague in the Netherlands, worked in Tuscany, Paris and at the moment also near Antwerp .In the year of 2010 and 2011 she obtained her first degree in Arts at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. She worked as a part time teacher of Arts and cultural coordinator.

Karien Heijtlager about her work:

All my spare time is controlled by a big general theme; erotic tension between people.
The attraction, the rejection, giving in and melting are motives that can be found in all my work. They are retraceable in ‘meetings’, both ‘intimita statues’ as well in the work that represent dance and dancers. For me it is important to express the aspects of a relationship that define the true essence, in whatever way. The form I choose varies, I don’t want to pinpoint myself on abstract or figurative. Sometimes a representation needs a figurative form, sometimes I style the dynamic of a relationship in a metaphorical language in which the figures are abstracted to their true being. The motive is always recognizable. That also happens in the emotions”. You can see them apart of each other, but also as a pair. Each anecdote is left out, but the touch, the patin and the choice of marble I use for the pedestals, suggest that there is a relation, that cannot be analyzed. Apart from my own free work I also make portraits.. I experience it as an adventure to search for the personality of my “ subject” to find the right touch and deepen out the character . That effects not only myself but also the person who is portrayed. That may sound bombastic, but my main motivation is to make something beautiful, exciting and touching. When I accomplish that it fills me with happiness. I never indulge in that state too long , I am aware of the fact that it can always be better, it can always be improved. Perfect art doesn’t exist, I know that, but coming close, almost being able to touch it is rewarding in itself.