See what I’ve been up to in my latest art newsletter – a painting of Roman-era pottery: https://mailchi.mp/81e490ed3fe6/newsletter_tanjamoderscheimartnews
Black slip ware bowls, 2nd Century AD
Oil on fine linen, 40cm x 40cm
It’s a bit strange thinking of and planning ahead for Christmas during the hot hot summer we’ve been having in London. However, I’m planning to offer a great many small, easy-to-take-away original oil paintings at the Country Living Christmas Fair (7-11 November, Islington, London) and the Mayfair Christmas Market (30 November – 1 December, near the lovely Ritz Hotel, London): new paintings for the Christmas Season. This means painting a huge stock, and I’ve started with my beloved heritage tulips. Last year I bought bulbs of the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th centuries from the gene bank Hortus Bulborum in Holland and planted these in my garden. When these glorious tulips surfaced in April and May this year I didn’t only paint them before they faded but I also took a large number of photographs for my tulip library. This somewhat, stressful against-the-clock activity serves me well now, because I can use my library to paint series after series of tulip paintings – perfect little presents for Christmas.
Although this is some serious stock-building for the Christmas season, it doesn’t mean that these paintings are not available for purchase now. Please get in touch (artist@dutchoils.com or use the contact form) for any enquiries / reservations. And of course if you would like your own bespoke tulip painting, why not commission one?
You can see a 22-second video of the first paintings on my instagram page:
I’ve always had a thing for history and heritage. Being a Dutch expat in the United Kingdom (yes, don’t mention Brexit), I’ve long wanted to paint tulips and ideally tulips that were fashionable in 17th-century Holland, when we were even more under the spell of the tulip than we are today. Tulipmania (“tulpenmanie”or “tulpengekte”) was a period (1635-1637) in the Dutch Golden Age during which contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels and then dramatically collapsed in February 1637 [Wikipedia].
Do any of the tulips from the tulpenmanie period still exist? Yes, old genetic stocks can still be purchased through Hortus Bulborum, a foundation in The Netherlands that functions as a gene bank and propagates historical heirloom bulbs. Some of these are no longer in commercial production (http://www.hortus-bulborum.nl). Every year I purchase several varieties from between 1595 and 1850 and plant them in my garden. I then paint series of paintings when the flowers surface, which is from mid-April onwards. I keep a photo library as well.
You can see some of the paintings below. Most of the heritage tulips, unlike the ones we have today, have a distinctive crown-like shape and pointy petals; some varieties are comparatively short. Their colour is amazingly deep and rich. Painting them gives me an opportunity to celebrate Dutch cultural heritage.
In the 2019 tulip season (April-May), I’ll be visiting the Hortus Bulborum to paint tulips in their gardens. I’ll be especially looking to record the legendary and rare Zomerschoon tulip, which was first intoduced in 1620 and was very popular during the Tulpenmanie period. I’ll also be on the look-out for the parrot tulip ‘Perfecta” (1750).
A recent newsletter providing background on my latest tulip painting can be read here: https://mailchi.mp/5b50d39fd6e4/tulips_tanjamoderscheim_artnews-2299197
Tulips grown in my garden in the 2017/18 season:
Duc van Tol Rood & Geel (1595), Lac van Rijn (1620), Duc van Tol Max Cramoisi (1700), Wapen van Leiden (1750), Keizerskroon (1750), Zilver Standaard (1760), Gouden Standaard (1760), Duc van Tol Scharlaken (1850).
Tulip varieties planted for the 2018/19 season:
Above tulips, and also: Tulipa sylvestris (<1600), Red hue (<1700), Paeony gold (<1700), Duc van Tol violet (<1700), Duc van Tol Rose (1700), Absalon Rembrandt (1780), Purple Crown (1785), Rose Louisante fol. var. (1850), Bessie (<1857), Spaendonck (<1893).
Additionally planted: Fritillaria meleagris (1573).
Dutch 17th-19th century tulips, 30cm 40cm, oil on fine linen
Dutch 17th-19th century tulips, detail: Zilver Standaard, Keizerskroon; Duc van Tol Scharlaken, Zilver Standaard; Gouden Standaard
Wapen van Leiden (1750), 14cm x 24cm, oil on wood panel
Duc van Tol Max Cramoisi & Rood en Geel, 14cm x 24cm, oil on wood panel
Dutch heritage tulips, 20cm x 40cm, oil on fine linen
now 20% off prints and art cards until the end of August 2017
Dutch artist Tanja Moderscheim paints 9 finalists of the 2016 BBC Food & Farming Awards
On the 28th of April 2016 the BBC4 Food Programme held their annual Food & Farming Awards. The Award’s mission is “to honour those who have done most to promote the cause of good food” (source: BBC Food and Farming Awards) and is often referred to as the Oscars of Great Britain’s food world. The Awards were hosted and presented by BBC Radio 4’s Sheila Dillon, and some of Britain’s best-known chefs, broadcasters and food writers including Yotam Ottolenghi, Ken Hom, Jancis Robinson, Diana Henry, Mitch Tonks, Angela Hartnett and Stefan Gates celebrated with her. The announcement of the winners of the evening can be seen at www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2016/food-and-farming-winners.
Countryfile’s presenter Adam Henson was one of the judges
As part of my project painting locally grown produce and celebrating the country’s culinary heritage and small businesses (see my previous blog post from February 2016) I painted the produce and products of 9 of the BBC Food & Farming Awards finalists:
Best Street Food or Takeaway: Gourmet Goat (London; Winner), The Glorious Oyster (Devon), Pyclet Parlour (Derby)
Best Food Producer: Charcutier Ltd (Wales; Winner), Hebridean Smokehouse (Hebrides), HS Bourne Cheshire Cheese (Cheshire)
Liesel and Illtud sent a big box of products – which ones do I paint…?
It was great working with the finalists, as I learnt about these wonderful producers and the stories behind their businesses, what drives them, the ethical values they want to pass on and the beautiful parts of the country they work in. They were more than happy to send ingredients/produce and work with me to discuss how best to show off their produce, ingredients and business, on wood panel.
Liesel and Illtud’s finished painting
Nick cooking beautiful streetfood: Gourmet Goat, Winner Best Street Food
Gourmet Goat, run by Nick and Nadia Stokes, were Best Street Food Winners. They sell kid goat meat dishes at Borough Market, London. Their recipes and food have a strong Eastern Mediterranean influence which I sought to bring out in my painting for the Food & Farming Awards. Nick suggested I included the floor tiles of their stall at Borough Market in my painting. These tiles have been brought from Cyprus and complement the goat kofta, Cypriot pita and the various ingredients, spices and herbs in the painting.
Goat Kofta, Wheat Berry, Cypriot Pita, Lemons, Garlic, Olives, Herbs, Spices and Cypriot Tiles: Gourmet Goat, Winner Best Street Food
“Rapture, Cannonball, Grapefruit, Salty Kiss and West Coast Pale Ale: Magic Rock Brewery, Best Drinks Producer Finalist
Refractometer and Hydrometer with Seasonal Fruit: Cairn O’Mohr, Best Drinks Producer Finalist
Watch this space for more paintings of the finalists.
BBC Food & Farming Awards paintings on display along the wall of the marquee
Autumn 2015: Like last year, I have donated a piece to the Richmond Environment Trust which will be auctioned on 26th of November at York House, Clarendon Hall, Richmond Road, Twickenham, TW1 3AA. The Annual Art Auction is the Trust’s major fundraising event, with donated works from local artists to Royal Academicians. All profits will go to the Trust, supporting current projects including The Story of our Streets, encouraging children and young people to understand more about the history of their local area and Active Environment, enabling adults with disabilities to discover and enjoy local places of interest.
Auctioneer: fine art dealer John Iddon. The auction starts at 8.00pm with viewing from 6.30pm; Tickets: £10 via Richmond Environment Trust; Email: office@environmenttrust.co.uk
Several commissions have kept me painting whilst the days are shortening. Projects include paintings of Italian cooking ingredients against a whitewashed wall, a pair of small paintings of figs and nectarines, a painting of lemons, figs, walnuts and a Delft blue plate, and a painting of two bluetit birds. I’m preparing sketches for additional commissions.
After a successful July exhibition at Harris+Hoole in Fulham Reach on the Thames riverside, we have scheduled another exhibition for the 12th of December. This will be a great opportunity for the locals to buy original and unique Christmas gifts: paintings, giclees and art cards. Gift vouchers will also be available. I’m currently designing the exhibition poster. Preview of works to follow soon.
I’ve been busy with the first preparations for the Reading Contemporary Art Fair, which is held 22-24 April 2016. I’ll be exhibiting new work including 4 large oil paintings on fine linen and a series of small paintings. Giclee prints and art cards will also be available. Visitors will be able to take home something that suits any budget. Preview of works to follow soon.
In August we had an enjoyable week in Tuscany. At a local greengrocer’s shop I found vegetables and fruits which, placed in soft afternoon Tuscan light, made good study projects in preparation for large paintings.
In July I had a very enjoyable afternoon exhibition at Harris+Hoole coffee shop in Fulham Reach on the Thames riverside. Prints, cards and original paintings were available.
Happy to report further successful sales at the Llewellyn Alexander Fine Paintings Gallery summer exhibition; 124-126 The Cut, Waterloo, London SE1 8LN UK.
I have teamed up with the charity School-Home Support and I’m excited to dedicate part of my artwork sale to this great cause. The first dedicated artwork is Lilies, which is for sale through artfinder.com.
School-Home Support charity: for 30 years, School-Home Support has been working with children, families and schools to break the intergenerational cycle of deprivation. 300,000 children and young people miss a day a week or more of school – the financial cost alone is equivalent to 50 secondary schools standing empty. The long-term social problems arising directly from this, including poor educational attainment, unemployment and crime, are even greater. 77% of the children and young people that School-Home Support worked with last year are no longer persistently absent. We work directly with both schools and families to get children and young people back into school, ready to learn. Whatever it takes. Follow on Twitter
School-Home Support UK is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, no 1084696 and is a company limited by guarantee, Companies House no 3991440.
September 2018 newsletter: A visit to 2nd century Europe21st September 2018 - 3:29 pm
New paintings for the Christmas Season19th July 2018 - 1:08 pm
The historical tulip painting project15th May 2018 - 10:18 pm
Exhibitions and new paintings / newsletter / February 201816th February 2018 - 5:15 am
A painting in progress: a time lapse video13th July 2017 - 9:10 pmWork in progress - Dutch historical tulips 1620-1750. #tulips #history #flowerpainting #gardening #spring #dutchpaintings #dutchartist #tulpen #floral #botanical #WIP #oilpainting #traditional #classicalpaintingtechnique #flower #holland #bloemen pic.twitter.com/isdg…
