Artist and writer Jannie Regnerus has collected three paintings by my partner, Hanneke van Oosterhout. I went to Jannie’s house today to make a photograph of one of the paintings and to see if there was any chance that she would consider reselling them.
KARL ZIPSER: What do you think about these paintings you bought?
JANNIE REGNERUS: I like the intimacy of the painted objects. They have been cut off from their former lives as useful or functional things — especially the ginger pot. The ginger pot whispers its own history and has its own universe. The pears have a different feeling, they are sensual, almost like human bodies. And the strawberries have some humor because the proportions are confusing, the giant berries in the tiny cup.
KARL ZIPSER: Don’t you find these pictures a bit too dark?
JANNIE REGNERUS: I like the way the objects sink within this black background. They are very silent, but also very strong. I like these better than the paintings with the light background. Hanneke is very good in this dark and intimate night atmosphere. l like the tempered light, the sun has set, this is the best time for objects, they become more mysterious than they are in the broad daylight.
KARL ZIPSER: Would you sell these paintings? Perhaps you could buy something different, like a new stereo system?
JANNIE REGNERUS: Of course not. I bought them because I love them. I saw them and I wanted to have them close by. I didn’t buy them as an investment. When people come to my house they also want them. Hanneke made one picture for friends of mine who saw her work here. Every time I visit Hanneke’s studio I see new things, so it is very difficult for me to go there.
KARL ZIPSER: But you don’t like everything she makes.
JANNIE REGNERUS: Sometimes she works too long on a painting and I think that I liked it better at an earlier state. That is normal, it happens to me, I think it happens to every artist sometimes.
KARL ZIPSER: I agree, working too far is often a danger.
JANNIE REGNERUS: So Karl, what will be the prices of Hanneke’s paintings in the exhibition that begins this Friday?
KARL ZIPSER: That is an interesting question.
. . .
Hanneke’s show opens 15 December in Haarlem at gallery De Provenier (which does not have its own website). What will be the prices? Which pictures will she select for the exhibition? Will she, should she, sell on-line as well? All of these questions are unresolved. Hanneke will discuss the progress of the show on her own site.
I wonder whether others will feel especially attracted to either the dark or the light pictures. Will that be a major principle in deciding how to hang them in the gallery? For a recent show I relied more on thematic relationships, and sometimes had dark and light photographs next to each other.
Steve,
Hanging a show is almost as difficult as making a painting. The thing that always amazes me is the potential for pictures to interact, to establish connections that were never evident before. It always takes a few days to get the hanging right. I hope Hanneke and Maurice get an early start.
Light versus dark, or thematic relationships? That is a great question. Hanneke leans towards separating the pictures by light and dark, but who knows how everything will look together in the gallery?
Hanneke, congratulations on your show! The paintings look great.
David,
Hardstikke leuk! Hard to translate, but something like, thanks a lot for your support.
Steve,
I think I am going to look what is hanging the best next to each other whether it is dark or light. By the way Maurice has thoughts about it which are rather strong, he knows how he wants to hang it — that way and not another way. It is in his own house. Thematically everything fits together (still life, not different genres), so it is going to be the colors of the fruits and bowls that decide and the frames.
Don’t you find these pictures a bit too dark?
On the contrary. They are luminous.
I really liked what Jannie says here:
This summarizes much of my feelings about Hanneke’s work. She transcends the objects themselves.
The loving detail gives one opportunity to gaze at the pieces for hours. It’s too bad I’m so strapped for cash. I want to own something of hers badly.
I was just looking at a wall in my place and imagining one of her paintings there and imagining the people who would look at it and say, “Wow.”
And is that cerulean blue that was used in the ginger pot?
Hanneke is so talented! You must be so proud of her!
Can you give us some more insight of her biography, like when she was born, where, when she started to paint, what she went through her life… All this things that make the life of an artist so appealing romantic…
These paintings are so skilled they almost look like professional photographs but 10 times better! Beautiful!
I wouldn’t resale them over anything too…
Rex,
Hanneke thinks she used cerulean blue on the ginger pot. She also says, “Oh sure, I’ll send Rex a picture.” The ones in this post are not available, though. I’d love to have them also, but Jannie is holding onto them.
Hanneke,
Congratulations on your show. Your work is very rich and elegant. I am very fond of still lifes. Is that your preference as well, or do you paint other subject matter?
H.
In particular, I admire the Strawberries piece.
Beautiful.
Amusing (oh how I wish for more humor in art).
How it is set back a bit more than usual, as if to say that it was necessary because the strawberries were just SO BIG–feels contemporary, Genetic Engineering?
How it is a bit off-center, suggesting a more casual glance, an everyday experience.
Thanks.
Oh God Karl,
You’re made my heart go pitter pat. A picture of Hanneke’s?
Yee hah!
Maybe we could trade; except, I think I’d have to do ten pieces to her one. Look at my drawing page for examples of my recent style. I’m all busy on drawings of Post Classical Greece in the Roman era right now, but I will happily do things for others, and I’m working in higher detail these days so taking a lot more time. I’m going for the print market rather than individual sales. Horses? (I can really do horses well though I have none showing.) Trees? High country scenes of the American West? Hanneke’s probably not interested in swordfight scenes though.
And thanks for asking her about the blue. Good cerulean is expensive stuff, but there’s no substitute.
I’m all busy on drawings of Post Classical Greece in the Roman era right now…
Rex, are you doing these from life or from photos :)
Rex,
I just woke up from a nice evening nap. Man, this jet lag is tough. Nine time-zones.
Now where were we? Hanneke admires your drawings very much, but she is not interested in trading artwork. I agree with this attitude. Bartering is not a good way to go. What Hanneke is thinking about now is to send you two pictures. One you keep, one you sell for her. Her reasoning is that if you really are fond of a picture, you can also sell it. Does that sound reasonable, or is she being a crazy artist?
Angela,
Hanneke said, “What do we do with Angela, she wants all the romantic details of my life.” Angela, Hanneke’s story is romantic, at least I think so. I’m working on writing it down. I’ve have something for next Monday.
Rex,
I just looked at your drawing page. I like your work a lot. But where are the prices?
-Karl
Im still in love with the grapes in the class still life. I love how the glass looks with the grapes;) Just curious how much would that one go for?
Karl,
I just woke up from a nap too.
Re: Barter. A lot of artists like to do that, but what Hanneke suggests is totally cool. I’d love to sell her work. This could grow into something for her. I’d consider getting her known out here a privilege and an honor. There’s a hotel nearby where I’m friends with the owners. Already the wheels are turning…
Re: Prices. None of the work I have up is for sale. I just put it up so people would stop bugging me with “I’d like to see some of your work,” but I haven’t even linked it to my blog. It’s all sold work, or in the case of the Kurt Cobain stuff, I can’t sell it because it’s derivative work, and the photogs or agencies just continue to ignore my requests for a copyright deal, “Crashed” sold for 400. but usually my drawings sell for between 100 and 200. Since I can do at least four a day at least four days a week, it works out. I’ve also sold ’em for as cheap as 40 when I was breaking into a new market and I was hungry for sales.
But speaking of that, People will happily pay 25 for a print then balk at 125 for an original. Rather than fight that idiocy of perceived value, I decided to profit from it. I’m going after the print market now. That means acumulating a body of work and advertising in national or regional magazines.
But speaking of prices, what does Hanneke want?
I always recommend that artists keep their prices down to move the art. Better to sell cheap than to not sell. That’s how we become known. The payoff is in the future, and good prices are one of the benefits of being an early collector, so I’m able to add that as a promotional mechanism to get buyers to spread the word, but Hanneke already has collectors, so we can’t undercut established traditions. It’s like underselling stock. It’ll bring the rest of the stock down, and that betrays ones collectors.
So what kind of money are we talking about?
Also how large are the pieces? I know they are small, but how big exactly? I like to put smaller pieces in mats with larger frames, but I’d take care of that end of the deal.
The strawberries are my favourite as they look like two huge sexy breasts popping out from an undersized corset…
wolfbaby,
This picture is shown at hannekevanoosterhout.nl.
Angela,
I like your comment about the exploding corset. This and other comments suggest to me that there could be some provocative paintings coming out of your studio one day, distinct from the mother and child theme.