Paula Kuitenbrouwer

How to survive the Declutter Movement as an Artist?

You are selling art and you have become aware of the declutter movement? You notice your sales drop? Why? Because of the anti-consumerism movement that manifests itself as Japanese Minimalism, Scandinavian Lean, and Swedish Death Cleaning. How can you stay a successful artist during the years people declutter their homes? Artist Paula Kuitenbrouwer, who is a declutter enthusiast herself, shares her ideas.

People are sick and tired of their stuff. Their ‘kids’ do not want boxes full of heirlooms. They have no interest in collections of postal stamps, antiques, paintings, or any accumulated stuff of their parents. We, their parents, have had the fortunes of post WWII economic booming time, having jobs, peace, space, a growing or easily recovering economy, all conditions that led to materialism which our children do not fancy. On the contrary, they feel that stuff, collections, or heirlooms are unnecessary ballast. Younger generations aim for Simple Living, Scandinavian Lean, Japanese Minimalism, or decluttered lifestyles. New generations need mobility to move with the climate, with job opportunities, and with safety.

Next to that, younger generations have a different design psychology: they know that owning a house (mortgage), a car, and a garden adds to more workload and commitment (and to sentimental memories of the way their parents lived). They say ‘No thanks’ to that. Due to economic and lifestyle reasons more of them will live in smaller apartments, in campers, tiny livings, mobile floating houses, or climate change proof dwellings. Only a few will be able to buy big houses that need renovations. An acceptable energy rating of a house easily adds 50.000 Euros to a renovation budget. The last thing younger generations need is containers full of inherited stuff and heirlooms. It is space they need, rather than stuff. It is mobility they need, rather than accumulated junk. They will store ‘in the cloud’ not in their closets, basements, or attics. They go for experiencing life instead of showing off wealth.

A few of the many books on decluttering

Minimalists have noticed how global warming, a zero-growth economy, new safety threats, has changed the way younger generations look at accumulated stuff from their parents. Swedish Death Cleaning, or Döstanding, is a concept in which parents (as from the age of 60 -or earlier-) are decluttering their own possessions, thus saving the next generation time and sadness dealing with unwanted stuff. Because at the age of 60 you have (unwillingly) accumulated a lot of stuff and you have come to see that a large percentage of all these possessions are not on your children’s wish list.

I have done several rounds of decluttering and Swedish Döstanding. It was such an inspiring adventure that I wrote a few articles when injuries from carrying heavy bags to our local charity shop halted me from doing more decluttering. If I wasn’t döstanding, I wrote about it.

I wrote about decluttering in relation to dementia, after having heartbreaking thoughts that I am now 60 and that I will fancy only a handful of heirlooms from my 95 y-o father who has not done any Swedish Death Cleaning ever. I suspect 90% of his belongings will go straight to charity (and charities only keep 10-25%, the rest is binned, I read). It is like Ann Patchett wrote in the New Yorker; ‘Without him (a deceased person) all his collections became just stuff’.

DECLUTTERING & DEMENTIA: article is here.

HOW TO DECLUTTER AN ARTIST STUDIO: article is here.

I have written about decluttering an artist studio after having done that myself. That was hard but it is also good to ask what my core values are as an artist and what are my remaining aspirations for the rest of my life? As soon as you have the answers to these hard questions in mind, you have a picture of a deeply decluttered studio in your mind’s eye.

Keeping surfaces of tables and cabinets decluttered with minimalist decoration, creates a wonderful idea of an open space. Equally, it provides brain space.

Decluttering and döstanding is about thinking and evaluating your life. And then it is about attuning your home to your aspirations, which leads to a more focused and minimalist design, resulting in shorter work processes. It is about losing physical and emotional weight. I donated books, furniture, clothing, kitchenware etc. It is about feeling less weighty responsibilities for sentimental heirlooms. As a reward comes a delightful ‘Lightness of Being’ (inspired by Milan Kundera’s famous ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being’).

Making art for people who do not fancy decorations,and live a minimalist lifestyle, how?

Now with having decluttered our apartment, homeschool library, workroom, and artist’s portfolio, I am on an adventure to adapt my Etsy shop to a different kind of art-lover: the minimalist. I have talked with family and friends and asked them how to solve the paradox of making art for people who do not fancy decorations, who want to live a minimalist lifestyle. Who does not like to buy wall art; who stays away from galleries or online selling platforms because their decluttering results into a reverse consumerism mentality: giving instead of buying.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR ARTIST’S SHOP ALIVE?

I have found a few solutions which might be helpful. Of course we all need tailor-made solutions matching one’s talent, products, and ambitions. What works for me does not automatically work for you. That said, it is about ideas not about products.

Sell more information instead of products. For me that would be giving art class and selling technical drawing advice or lesson sheets. Thus selling more services next to physical artwork.

Another one is selling practical art instead of decorative art. I have designed art cards with larger images inside that can be framed. And customers inform me often -even sending pictures- that they have framed my art card, using it as a miniature wall art.

First picture: my art card. Second picture: the larger image inside, and third picture, my double glass framed art card.

For at least two decades I have made minimalist art (next to maximalist artwork). I have worked with the Japanese Ma principle of space and emptiness for years. I have lived in South Korea (2001-2003) and have fallen in love with Asian art. I have visited Korean art galleries frequently and studied Korea’s beautiful minimalist touch. I took painting lessons at HONGIK UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS which was very enjoyable. I have never felt influenced by Western art till I lived in Asia. Asia made me acutely aware that even if we technically paint with the same brushes, paints, and use the same techniques, working with different principles or artistic philosophies leads to an amazingly different artworks.

Artwork that embraced and uses the Ma-principle matches minimalist interiors beautifully.  It decorates (small) spaces with a suggestion of even more (open) space.

Carrion Crow on Rowan Branch by Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Take for instance my Carrion Crow. It sits on an autumnal Rowan branch. The crow itself is black, but black feathers are full colours. Very subtly greens, browns and blues are hiding in its plumage. The principle of Ma is noticeable in that the Carrion Crow looks at something we cannot see. This creates suspense and room for imagination. What is the crow looking at? A partner? Somebody dropping his sandwich (yummy!), or perhaps an approaching storm? Sunset? There is spatial awareness created by the crow focusing on something which is left to our curiosity.

This painting is decluttered yet rich in engagement. It is empty in objects (two objects only; a branch and a crow) but full in inviting a rich artistic narrative. It holds a lovely diagonal composition. Despite that it suggests a limited use of colour, it is rich in colour. In other words, it is decluttered, minimalist art with maximal artistic skill.

Lastly, perhaps it is just not the time to sell art. Perhaps instead of trying to find new ways of selling, accepting a wave of anti-consumerism can only be met with ‘gelassenheit‘ (serenity). Perhaps letting go the horrible demands of ‘putting yourself our there’, or of ‘having a social media presence’ brings heightened focus and blessings to your development as an artist. Why not use this time to focus on art-making, learning new skills, improving your art instead? There will (most often) always be enough family and friends buying your art so that -at least- it pays for itself. But even if that is not the case, scale down your production to that type of art that is your most talented expression. It can be liberation not to focus on ‘a market’ but on skills only.

Although I love making maximalist book illustrations, I understand the declutter zeitgeist. We don’t buy the slogan that buying makes us happy anymore. We are seeing the devastating effects of consumerism. We like to escape from stuff-oriented living. We are collectively inspired by minimalism, lean, and decluttered.

I hope that all those who declutter and/or Swedish Death Clean will like my art because it won’t be a burden to the next generation due to its affordability and practicality.  Also, never declutter beauty. We need art and beauty in our lives because it is one of these elements that makes us happy, like fresh air, healthy food, proper education, music, nature, and love.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer

Artist based in Utrecht, the Netherlands

Freehand & commission artist. Art is often seen as a luxury but when it comes to memorable events we are in need of art. Please, feel free discussing commissioned art with me.

• Venus of Willendorf & Lionman
• Floral & Avian (Name) Commissions
• My Art-Making Kaizen
• A Visit to Holywell
• Baby Name Commission Drawing Painting