In Search of a Truer Nature: Holly Zandbergen

I don’t feel so connected to the literal subject. It’s not about the garden at all. I start with these photos because the natural forms of nature allow me to express my own inner nature. It’s about tapping into my instincts and intuition; letting it come out in the most truthful way possible that is unhindered by what I think I should do or how it should look. I’m getting away from painting as a means of representing the world around me and more as an activity that is searching for a new meaning. It’s about slowing down and actively waiting until I know what I need to do. I want to discover and utilize my expression in its truest form. I’m trying to get out of the way and let the painting happen as it is meant to."

When examining my paintings, one will notice the frenetic energy that is present throughout the work. Upon investigating more closely, it will become apparent that this activity is the essence of each mark. Painting is a personal act that works to understand the subject. Whether the subject be that of the internal world of the artist or a literal form of the external world, it is the translation of thought to form that ignites life within the painting.
As an artist, I use oil paint as a medium to explore this kindred connection that exists between the mark and intent.

Although my practice remains figurative, it must be stressed that the majority of my inspiration stems from an internal source, something that is not driven by the literal subject. This has resulted in an impasto application of oil paint where variables such as speed, force and motion activate endless possibilities within each mark. Painting has come to be about capturing what occurs within the present moment. Whether this is from within the time to mentally prepare and “enter into” the painting, to the physical contact made of brush onto canvas.
The artwork itself is a result of a conducted spiritual process, where varying brushwork reflects the subtle layers of an authentic human response.