Schetsboek met 53 bladen 1906 - 1945

This 'Sketchbook with 53 pages' was made by Reijer Stolk sometime between 1896 and 1945. The colour is hard to define, sort of in-between green and beige, like faded military canvas. I’m thinking that, for Stolk, it was a place for ideas, a refuge, a container for thoughts. You know, sketchbooks are such intimate objects; they’re like the artist's personal playground. I imagine Stolk carrying this around, always at the ready, to capture fleeting moments of inspiration. Maybe this sketchbook was a constant companion through all those years? These books offer artists the freedom to experiment, to fail, to discover new possibilities without the pressure of a finished work. I feel like I'm leafing through Stolk's mind, seeing the world through their eyes. I love to think of all artists, across time and place, whispering to one another through their work! Painting is embodied expression and should embrace ambiguity, and uncertainty allowing for multiple interpretations.