The paintings of Eric de Nie, born in Leiden in 1944, reflect a captivating and emotional duality between free-flowing paint and controlled brushstrokes. With a playful approach, the artist occasionally tilts the canvas, both horizontally and vertically, and follows the colorful trails of lines, drops and smears of paint with a sensitive eye and fluent hands. By directing chance, a complex set of rhythmic connections is created between color, line, surface and space, creating a new image that is both concrete and poetic.
Eric de Nie describes his work as follows: "My paintings and watercolors are created through a methodical approach in which vertical and/or horizontal directions dictate the image. This method involves the conscious application of chance. I leave diluted paint in thin lines according to the law of gravity flow downwards and repeatedly tilt the work surface, like a composition between horizontal and/or vertical elements. In my watercolors I have discovered new possibilities in recent years by spontaneously applying broad, light brush strokes within this horizontal and/or vertical grid. This often involves 'wiping out' a wide strip of paint. Repetition and intersection of the strokes evoke enigmatic densifications and spaces. In recent paintings, both approaches have merged by chance into a symbiosis. What exactly will happen on the flat surface, depends a lot on the moment and my mood after analytically looking at my previous work or groups of works. My response serves as inspiration for a new work of art, whether in a square or rectangular format, with acrylic paint on canvas or watercolor on special paper, etc.."
"Despite the initial ideas about color combinations, rhythms of successive lines, shapes and colors, I always paint according to the specific characteristics of the new work. Throughout the creative process I continue to look for the moment when the free-flowing lines of paint or the airy sweeping movements with the brush gives me the visual and emotional satisfaction of a balanced image. Sometimes this happens within an hour, while other times it requires weeks of looking, experimenting and sometimes taking a break. I continue to work until a whole is created of rhythmic color shades between full and light color tones, and lines that create an abstract spatial experience. This gives the viewer space to wander within the painting, blurring the perception of time. It is almost like a musical experience that I, figuratively speaking, put into the ears of the viewer wants to resonate."
Eric de Nie's works are included in the collections of several prestigious museums, including the Belvedere Museum in Heerenveen, the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, the Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam, the Waterland Museum in Purmerend and the Stedelijk Museum in Schiedam.
