Welcome to my art website!

I have majored in Philosophy at the University of Amsterdam and after that held different editorial jobs. I lived in six countries and homeschooled my sweetheart daughter for a decade. Whenever I had some spare time, you would find me drawing and painting. I did that from when I was young and I have never outgrown dreaming of a life in which I can draw and paint from dusk till dawn.

I was taught drawing and painting by Spanish-Dutch artist Charito Crahay and Dutch artist Johan Kolman. I will never forget -as a young girl- copying Crahay’s large canvasses in her studio and sitting with her on a couch discussing my progress. From artist Johan Kolman I learned tonnes. Later, I followed courses and workshops at art schools like Honik University College of Fine Arts in Seoul. When I retired from homeschooling, I returned to my drawing and painting in earnest, opened an Etsy shop as a freehand drawing & commission artist, and joined a few art fairs.

Art is often seen as a luxury. However, when it comes to joyful, sad, or memorable events, we are in need of art. I love working with customers on a commission because I love meaningful and practical art; art that has a function that goes beyond my desire to be creative; art that holds significance for the customer. It is perhaps therefore that I feel more like a craftswoman or artisan than an artist. I have no grand ego to exhibit, no trauma to work through artistically and openly, no super interesting life story to narrate on canvasses. I keep it simple; showing the beauty of the natural world, making beautiful art, and adding beauty to life is my deepest passion.

Currently, I live with my husband and daughter in the Netherlands. I have a lovely workroom overlooking the centre of Utrecht’s inner city. Birds visit our balcony for food and water, and I love watching the weather, the clouds, and the colouring of the trees. My art comes from a harmonious and meditative place. It is neither political nor emotional, but a mindful celebration of the beautiful world inside and around us.

I welcome hearing from you. Feel free discussing commissioned art with me; just start somewhere and I will -like in a Socratic dialogue- help by asking questions to manifest what preferences you have in your mind as a commission. If at any time, you have no answers, I will fill in the gaps with ideas and suggestions.

Paula Kuitenbrouwer, Drs. M.A.