Inspirational trip 1 — Carternolden

I think this is one of those moments you save like an image in your mind. I was in Soltau, and before I went inside, I saw this. By the end of the day, before I went to bed, I realized that for my paintings I should make a better blog, reorganize all the documentation I've made since 2010, and build a better foundation for the years to come.

I was working on a painting called Bradley Cooper Movie. It continues the stream of consciousness that I have explored before and features a figure I created during this trip called Anton. I had a lot of thoughts while I was having my simple German meal on the Autobahn. I like the Autobahn. The sound of the cars racing by reminds me of being a child, standing nearby and listening to them. Sometimes I miss that time.

The babybear is crying because mama bear is vaping.

Staying in Soltau also reminded me of being in Austria as a child with my parents. The cozy breakfasts and lunches Dorothea made for me gave me a nostalgic and comforting feeling. It was one of those days when memories, places, and the work itself all seemed to come together.

I photograph a lot, and I save and screenshot countless images from the internet and with my Instagram scraper. I like using Instagram as a personal archive with a feed blocker, so it works more like Tumblr used to: a place to collect images without those endless video reels. Looking back at everything I've documented over the years made me realize that I should organize it more carefully not just for myself, but as part of the ongoing story of my work.

The next day I left. After buying some sneakers to add to my stock on the first day, I decided to explore and see new places for inspiration. I visited the Hanseatic cities of Salzwedel and Tangermünde before continuing to my final destination, Berlin.

I like these small cities. It feels as if you go back in time. If money were no object, I would spend a month living in small cities all over Europe and the United States—places like Annapolis, Cádiz, Donostia, and Salzwedel.

If I truly want to capture the energy of a place in my artworks, I think these are the places where I can do it. When I'm in these smaller cities, I feel I can explore the essence of things and understand how the world around me is put together. Cities like the Randstad*, Berlin, and New York are fascinating to me as an artist, but they are also so big and overwhelming that I find it difficult to stay there for longer periods. The smaller cities allow me to slow down, observe, and absorb the atmosphere in a way that feels much more natural.

Part of that process is photography. I like to photograph primitive street art and amateur advertising murals—the ones that aren't perfectly executed. Those imperfect signs, painted walls, and handmade advertisements inspire me enormously. They carry the character of a place in a way that polished design often doesn't. Throughout this blog and on my upcoming trips, I'll share some of the photographs I take so you can see what draws my attention and better understand the visual language that inspires my work.

* Throughout this blog, I use "Randstad" to refer to the Amsterdam Rotterdam Utrecht The Hague area.