Blog: Texel Now
Two days from the island life of artist Daan van Loenhout
The alarm goes off at half past six. I want to arrive early at the Hors sandbank in the southwest of Texel so that there are no other people besides myself and I have the vast plain all to myself. Of course, many others have that same idea! It doesn't happen: one of the chickens seems ill and I'm trying to figure out what's wrong. At half past eight I ring the vet: 'with the right treatment it'll sort itself out'. After a cup of coffee I decide to go anyway, as 'beastly weather' is forecast for the coming days. When I arrive at the plain I'm the only walker; cyclists, including mountain bikers, don't get far on the soft sandy beach that's almost a kilometre wide.
The Hors - this is one of those places on Texel where you can imagine what Earth must have been like before our civilisation made its mark on the landscape. Here I don't feel inclined to do anything other than look around and let it all sink in.
Is creating art without social intentions also a kind of no man's land? Wandering across bare steppes where only your own thoughts and emotions can guide you, not the conventions imposed by your surroundings. Even breaking with traditions has now become a conventional artistic goal - otherwise, according to many art historians, it couldn't be art. These are ideas that probably occur more readily to an artist on an island than to colleagues on the 'mainland'.
Today
While walking my dog I see how the yellow crocuses emerge from the earth and how the snowdrops make their bow to the coming season. The beginning of a new season can sometimes feel a bit strange for us humans, as you might still have been turned inward whilst now a period approaches where everything in nature wants to reach outward. I'm already longing to create new work that lets all the colours of the seasons 'bloom' at their best and reaches towards unconventional horizons!
I wish you a lovely time on Texel!
Island greetings, Daan van Loenhout
Make an appointment to see the latest work:
06-19197840
www.daanvanloenhout.nl
Studio Daan van Loenhout
Genteweg 1
1794 HK Oosterend
Open in summer during July and August 11am-5pm