Tiny de Vries
Tiny de Vries’ work captures people and places in an ethereal light, using treasures collected from nature - all created in her magical atelier in The Netherlands.
Photography: Lilli Waters for Hunter & Folk
A wall in the studio of Tiny de Vries - brimming with the artist’s work and treasures she has collected on her travels. Photo - Lilli Waters.
Tiny de Vries’ magical light-filled atelier, located in Utrecht in The Netherlands. Photo - Lilli Waters.
“l love my work, the freedom it brings and the endless flow of creative and positive energy,” says Tiny de Vries. Photo - Lilli Waters.
Tell us a little about your journey as an artist?
After I graduated from the University of Art in Utrecht, I travelled to Indonesia to see the world and experience a new culture. I studied art at the Institute of Indonesian Arts and Culture in Bandung, Java. I lived with my tutor, Alfonzo and his family. We formed a very special bond and are still in daily contact. Alfonzo taught me so much about art and also about my perspective on life. I was quite shy at the time and he encouraged me to tell my story. In Utrecht I founded my studio Tinystories. l love my work, the freedom it brings and the endless flow of creative and positive energy.
Growing up, did you always know that the creative world would be the focus of your career?
I grew up in a small Dutch farming village in a lovely warm family who were extremely creative and open-minded. My parents were free spirited, but we lived in a very small traditional village. Behind the hedge surrounding our house, we all had our freedom. I can clearly remember my mother collecting fifteen empty washing machine boxes which my sister and I built dens from. Children from the whole village came to our house to play. We all worked together on our allotment, dyed our own fabric, sewed our own clothes and drew and painted every single day.
“I paint with twigs, self-made brushes and Japanese brushes. I love the intuitive and unpolished brushstrokes,” says Tiny de Vries. Photo - Lilli Waters.
“For as long as I can remember, art has been a big part of my life.”
The rooftop above Tiny de Vries’ fourth floor atelier in The Netherlands. Photo - Lilli Waters.
A corner in the light-filled atelier of Tiny de Vries. Photo - Lilli Waters.
Tell us about your creative process - are you working in your atelier every day?
When I’m in Utrecht, I’m in my studio every day. On the weekends, the lines between private life and work are blurred. I love to work barefoot in my studio in my own bubble, and always working/painting while sitting on the floor on a yoga cushion. I gather all materials on the ground and leave them to sit for a while, staring at the paintings I’m working on - painting, turning them upside down, rotating, trying to finish it in my mind before I make the first or last brushstroke. And then there are days where I just paint, paint, and paint. Even though I’ve made a plan, all of the painting runs out of my hand, it just flows in a way that I can’t control.
“Through my paintings and collages, I create my own poetic positive dream world.”
Has living in Utrecht influenced your work?
I came here to study and fell in love with this city, so I stayed. I live in the inner-city and love to walk in the city, passing the beautiful canals. I adore the architecture and the old cobbled streets.
“I’ve always had a thing for re-using materials,” says Tiny de Vries. Her studio is filled with treasures she has found. Photo - Lilli Waters.
Tiny de Vries cat Peer catching the afternoon sunshine. Photo - Lilli Waters.
Where do you most gather your inspiration?
I’m always observing the little nothings. I try to soak in a moment, always having lots of ideas in my head. Travelling, meeting people, taking photos, and nature are a big inspiration for my artwork. The magic happens while I gather all materials on the ground in my studio, inspired by what is in my head, from my inner depths, what I feel and what I see. And then it just flows.
“I like my works to be quiet places, a space for the mind to be still and calm - for the eyes to rest from the busy outside world.”
What do you love to capture most in your work?
Portraits, female nudes, abstracted landscapes and abstract art all created from aged materials, old paper, dried flowers and leaves, mostly using natural colours and pastels. Abstract art leaves so much room for intuition, freedom and serendipity. I’ve always had a thing for re-using materials - when I was younger, I inherited boxes of old treasures from my grandma and grandpa; from brushes and ribbons to buttons and sewing patterns.
'“I love imperfections - I mix all materials, acrylic, gouache, ink and paint on old paper, or dried flowers with handmade paper,” says Tiny de Vries. Photo - Lilli Waters.
What’s your favourite medium to work with?
I paint with twigs, self-made brushes and Japanese brushes. I love the intuitive and unpolished brushstrokes - I’m always seeking the balance between finished and unfinished. I also love imperfections - I mix all materials, acrylic, gouache, ink and paint on old paper, dried flowers with handmade paper. I recently found a box of old paper on the side of the road in Paris - there was some beautiful paper amongst it. Lately I also love to work with other found and recycled materials like cardboard, discarded canvas, and even old natural dyed cotton/sheets.
Tiny de Vries in her light-filled atelier located in Utrecht in The Netherlands. Photo - Lilli Waters.
“I love to work together with other artists and makers to co-create, I think this is what is worth living for, for those moments of togetherness and generosity of shared wisdom. For me, this when the magic truly happens.”
What’s in store for you creatively in the coming months?
I’m so grateful for all the amazing collaborations and the meaningful direct contact with my clients, many of whom feel more like friends. I’m currently involved in a beautiful project for a Non Government Organisation, to help and connect via an art project in refugee camps in Greece. I love connecting with people through art.
In January, I’ll be visiting Melbourne, which will be part of a special collaboration with House of Orange. Together we aim to exhibit a selection of limited edition releases in April next year, which is so exciting as it will extend a new reach to this part of the world. I absolutely love Melbourne, the Australian coast, the countryside and being close to nature.
The magical work of Tiny de Vries. Photo - Lilli Waters.