About

Vera Nievelstein pasfoto
Vera Nievelstein

Turning points

What a lovely beach and dunes! Nice walks, getting a breath of fresh air, clearing your head. When Corona broke out my physical condition got worse and worse, also due to other circumstances, and walking got me out of the dark place I was in. Because I forced to take a break, I started thinking about where I stood and what direction I wanted to take. Slowly but surely I regained more energy and I discovered that not only do I want to make art, but I want to share my knowledge and experience with people who want to do more with their creativity.

Abstract Geometric Painting
Abstract Geometric Painting

At an earlier turning point in my life, I gave up my job in the laboratory to do what I was really passionate about and started at the university of the arts in Enschede. That felt right! I graduated in 2010 and since then I have enjoyed making art that I exhibit and sell. Because I can’t make a living from that, I work part-time for a digital help desk. Digital is also a passion of mine since I discovered the Internet in the nineties and learned how to make websites.

Broad interest

Upcycle cupboard blue
Upcycle cupboard

You already read it, I have a broad interest, nature, science, art, design and (digital) technology which I combine in my art practice. In my art you will find a lot of mathematics. In The Art Shop I sell second hand design and up-cycled items and my Creative workshops I give online. I am what you call a generalist and not a specialist. There are so many things I find interesting and also in my art I use different techniques. Similarly in my art classes, you will find all kinds of techniques so you can discover what touches you, what fascinates you or leaves you longing for more. Then you can go into depth or, like me, into breadth.

Memories

For as long as I can remember I was into drawing, making music and writing. Memories of the smell of oil paints when my grandfather was painting and what he taught me about proportions, and how he encouraged me to draw. The guitar my parents gave me as a child and my cousins who taught me to play during our summer vacations. Writing poems for an assignment at school but never sharing them. Writing essays and lectures is what I loved doing and I remember the teacher going through the connecting door to the classroom next to us and watching what was happening through the window in that door and I kept talking and talking to the class.

Passion

Drawing of a cat
Drawing of a cat

It is really great when you can do what you are passionate about and I wish that to everyone. I would like to help others to discover, follow and develop their (creative) passion. Help you make a start, take steps towards your passion. It is not about whether you can draw well. Anyone can learn to draw, but without passion, without desire you will not get there. Enjoying it is the key and then just do it. Step by step you get better and better and discover more and more. Watching what others do, letting yourself be inspired by others, by your interests, here too it is all about discovery.

DIY Origami Booklet
DIY Origami Booklet

Art is great, but I also really enjoy discovering and learning new things all the time and the internet is full of super fun ideas that I love to try. What I tried I share on Facebook and YouTube and on the blog of this website. I also give creative workshops and art classes “A course in Painting”.