Vera K

Year of birth: 1986
Where do you live: Amsterdam
Your education: Bachelor of Design – Illustration at HKU (Hoge School voor de Kunsten Utrecht or University of the Arts based in Utrecht)
Describe your art in three words: Vibrant, Dynamic, Surreal
Your discipline: Multidisciplinary artist
Website | Instagram

Vera K | Pulse of Sound | 2024

Your work blends elements of surrealism, music, and sustainability. Can you tell us more about how these themes intertwine in your practice?

Since I have been in art school I love to implement surrealism in to my art. To confuse the viewer a little, make them think, zoom out and observe the artwork again, and leave them with a smile. Alongside surrealism I’ve tried to be as sustainable as possible while making art, because it’s important to me to make the world a better place, starting with my own environment.
And spread the message through my art. For my current collaboration I chose to include music, because sustainable brand Jekkah uses the slogan: ‘Join the Rhythm’ and the owner of the brand is a musician. This is also why I used ‘Join the Rhythm’ as the name of my project. Jekkah’s role in this collab is to supply me with leftover material of their sustainable clothing line, so I can make canvases out of it.

You’ve worked as an art director in the film industry before fully transitioning to illustration and painting. How did your background in commercial art influence your current style?

Actually Art direction was a little bit in between. In art school I decided I wanted to do an internship in the film/commercial business. Mainly because during art school all the creativity was sucked out of me and I needed to change my perspective and do something completely different. What I have learned from that time, is to work under pressure, be well organised and keep your work light, fun & inspiring.

Vera K | Hummingbird | 2024

Can you describe the process of creating the sustainable handmade canvases with Jekkah’s leftover fabrics? How does this collaboration reflect your values as an artist?

After I pick up the pieces of textile, I wash them, cut them into the right sizes and iron them. When I have stretched the fabric onto the canvas I treat it with various products to prevent the fabric from stretching and shrinking. While the canvases are drying I start brainstorming and sketching. During this process I keep the pattern of the canvas in mind, so it blends perfectly into the painting.
I believe this collaboration reflects the core values that I work and live by. Such as be authentic, be the change that you want to see in the world, keep discovering new ways to create art and I want to give people a positive feeling when they see my work.

How do you choose the colours and patterns in your work? Is there a specific meaning behind the vibrant, joyful energy in your pieces?

In this collaboration I do not choose the canvas colours or patterns, because it depends on what is leftover. But use of vibrant colours in my work is important, that is also why I chose to collab with Jekkah, because they use traditional African prints in their clothing line. It is important because colours vibrate positivity and that is exactly what I want radiate with my work.

Vera K | Music in My Mind | 2024

What role does music play in your creative process? How do you translate the rhythm and emotion of music into visual art?

Music plays an important role in my creative process. Not only do I love to listen to it while painting, music is also intertwined into my paintings. I decided to use music as a theme, because the owner of Jekkah is also a DJ and the slogan of Jekkah is ‘Join the Rhythm’.
So through the colours of the fabric and the painting I choose to make on them music and rhythm are always present, in a suggestive or more surreal way.

What message do you hope to convey through your art? What do you want viewers to take away from your vibrant, music-inspired works?

That life can be pretty colourful and positive.
Because the world can already be a dark place, so I believe that making vibrant and positive art I can make a difference. It’s easy to make dark negative art and express our suffering. If we can focus more on the beauty of colour, nature and music for example, maybe we can make the world a better place, starting in our own bubble.

Vera K | Join The Rhythm | 2024

How does living and working in Amsterdam influence your art? Do you find inspiration in the city’s culture or environment?

To be honest, Amsterdam does not influence my art. My time in Portugal on the other hand did!
Because I was connected to nature all the time. Which made me open up so much more for the small magical things in life, that make this world also a wonderful place. I was in a constant flow of creativity there. Which I brought back to Amsterdam. But once in a while, I really do have to recharge over there, because the fast life in Amsterdam can be harsh from time to time.