Artist Pierre Van Dijk - Brennen Fine Art Gallery - Scottsdale, AZ
 

About Pierre Van Dijk

Pierre van Dijk is one of the leading contemporary post-Impressionist painters. His work combines Impressionist and post-Impressionist elements and are often “plein air” paintings, as were the classic Impressionists. The Impressionists considered that the best forum to observe and represent nature would be in the open air—which is why their works were called plein air paintings – where the play of light and shadows would be most natural, striking and intense, rather than under the dim and artificial lighting of the studio.

 

Popular with viewers and galleries alike, his paintings are exhibited worldwide.

Biography

Pierre van Dijk was born on 5 June 1950 in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. Even as a young child, he loved to paint and draw. From 1967 to 1972, he studied at the Royal Academy for Fine Arts (NL). From 1972 to 1974 he pursued his studies at the Free Academy (NL), guided personally by Livinus van der Bunt, artist and rector of the academy. A great number of exhibitions – both in the Netherlands as well as abroad – followed from 1974 onwards. In 1977 Pierre moved to Gorinchem and became a member of "Pictura" in Dordrecht. After a number of modern art projects such as "Les Enfants Terrible" and "Monument Affaire," he returned to his native city ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 1984, where he devoted himself to developing his painting techniques. Apart from traditional techniques, he also mastered paintbrush techniques. Applications for exhibitions came pouring in. The authoritative magazine "Kunstbeeld" requested him to exhibit in New York. In 1989 Pierre moved to the US for a number of months where he exhibited in various galleries, including Gallery 54 in New York. In this period he also taught at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. In the course of the eighties Pierre became more and more internally driven to capture the phenomena of light and color in all their splendor.

 

Pierre developed a unique palette, style and vision. This vision, the typical use of colors and his handling of light have become famous and trademark Pierre’s Impressionist paintings. His vision can be described as vitalist optimism; he paints the beauty of life. His use of colors can be called contradictory. Through the use of a refined combination of a limited number of base colors he achieves an inimitable wealth of colours. His use of light is more than just lighting; it does not fall externally on the object or scene; it is mostly a light from within. Pierre van Dijk colors life and exposes a world of light.

 

Pierre later opened a Maison/Atelier Pierre in the medieval town of Beynac, origin of Impressionism. The Maison/Atelier Pierre is surrounded by historic monuments and the overwhelming nature of Dordogne, which continue to inspire his work.