Biography
Els Geelen, born 1969 Elisabeth Veronica, studied fine arts at the AHK in Amsterdam. She lives and works in Norheimsund, Norway and is member of the artist organisation Harding Puls.
Already at high school, Els´ talent for drawing was recognized and she followed four years of extra portrait and model classes. In her first year of the arts academy Els had two exhibitions, one in the Netherlands and one in Germany. After graduation she kept a diary of drawings (ink on paper). In 2001 Els was assigned to paint ¨the stages of the cross¨, the story of Jesus´procession to Golgotha in 12 paintings. These paintings are in private possession in the North of France. Since then Els had different portrait assignments and several exhibitions in galleries, both solo and with other artists.
In 2005 Els moved from Amsterdam to the beautiful countryside of the Hardanger in Norway. She continued to work with figurative paintings wanting to express human vulnerability in the cycles of life. Her position towards her own work is critical in the way of being sensitive to manners of expression and variation in the paintings. Her work is free and associative, making both fine arts paintings, but also rough and abstract forms of landscape. She sells her work mostly to private customers by galleries like the Hå Gallery in Stavanger. In the Hardanger Els had several exhibitions and she has now a permanent exhibition at Homlagarden. The municipality of Kvam and Jondal purchased work from the artist.
Radio interview 27.09.2009, Radio Folgefonn
Adventure Forest
There are approximately a half years ago, Els Geelen was invited by the gallery keeper, Ingunn Moss Finn to have a solo exhibition in Gallery Rallaren. Els Geelen in conversation with Radio Folgefonn says that she wondered a bit whether she would be able to fill the walls in the large gallery in the basement of Rallaren, but she has managed. 30 Images in various sizes are now neatly in place and lights up to the public in clear colours, with fascinating subjects. It is a fairytale world Els Geelen has taken with her from Kvam to Odda, and the Norwegian woods in figurative or more abstract language of form.
Large landscapes
Geelen said that she never paint landscapes until living in the Hardanger, where there is so much forest. When seeing pictures of a Norwegian colleague expressing the landscape in an inspiring way, she wanted to try for herself. Geelen says she wants the audience to feel that they are drawn into the painting, into the forest through the trees.
Intuitive
Els Geelen said that she can not manage to place herself within any artistic tradition or stile. She is inspired by the old masters, but also by living painters, such as Odd Nedrum. (…)
¨I work best intuitive and associative¨, says Geelen, ¨ I wish to convey my feelings in the image, but one never quite knows if one gets it. It is a vulnerable profession, and what I do best, is to paint the closest to my heart.¨
Varied expression
¨Sometimes I work very precisely, but other times I use gallons of paint on the canvas because that’s what I want to do. (…) Sometimes I start painting an eye, and suddenly, the eye on the canvas starts staring back at me… that’s wonderful… ¨
Tone Mannsåker
Utdanning
1992-1996 Amsterdamse Hoge School voor de Kunsten, Amsterdam,Nederland
1991 Vrije Academie Den Haag, Nederland
1989-1990 Propedeuse biologi, universitet Utrecht,Nederland
Separatutstillingar
2010 Hardanger Folkemuseum, Utne
2009 Galleri Rallaren, Tyssedal
2007 Germundsgarden, Norheimsund
1995 Kafe Galleri Schiedam, Schiedam, Nederland
1994 Galleri Koningswinter, Koningswinter, Tyskland
1993 Muiderslot, Muiden, Nederland
Kollektiv- og gruppeutstillingar
2011 Hardanger Kunstsenter, ¨skog¨, tema utstilling
2010 Kunst Museum Timisoara, Romania
2009 Gamle Banken, Norheimsund,
2009,08 Hå Gamle Prestegård,
2008,07,06 Hardanger båtfestival, Norheimsund,
2008 Vandreutstilling i Hardanger
2007 Søgne Gamle Prestegård, Søgne / Kunstalarm, Øystese
2005 Galleri Rudolf V, Amsterdam / Loods 6, Amsterdam, Nederland
2003 Kunst Kerk, Amsterdam,Nederland
Utsmykking
2004 Utsmykkingsoppdrag Woerden (Nederland) for 5 portrett på bill-board format
2001-02 Utsmykkingsoppdrag med 12 bilde om Krossveien, Consenvoie (Frankrike)
Innkjøp
2009 Kvam herad
2009 Landsbykunst motivet, Jondal kommune
Oppdrag
2009 Hardingtonar plakat
2001- 2009 Diverse portrett
Illustrerte bøker
1998,97,96 Open Museumsdag
Anna verksemd/verv
2008-09 Prosjektmedarbeidar Hardangerlokk
2007 Prosjektmedarbeidar Kvammalokk
frå 2001- Pedagogisk verksemd i kunstfag
………………………………………………………………………
Verksemd
Biletkunstnar, arbeidar med oljemaleri men og med grafikk, teikningar, illustrasjonar og portrett på oppdrag.
Tekst
¨Eg føler at arbeida mine er sterkt knytte til naturen og livet. Dette trer fram i dei store abstrakte landskapa og når eg måler menneske og deira nærleik til naturen. Eg måler gjerne om det sårbare i sinnet, om djupna i skogen, om det sterke i fjellet.
I atelieret let eg tankane flyte og finn rom for assosiativt og intuitivt arbeid. Det startar med eit bilete i hovudet eller med eit tema som må gjevast form på lerretet. Fine tynne penslar eller grove palletknivar kan framheve uttrykka eg søkjer. Kraft, struktur og kontrastar skapar liv. Mørke og skygge, lys og fargar gir stemningar og kjensler.
Eg likar å jobbe til musikk. Det frigjer tankar. Medan eg lyttar synes handa å styre seg sjølv. Bilete trer fram bit for bit. I prosessen vert eg ofte ståande berre å sanse. Er eg på rett veg?
Som musikk kan røre ved den som lyer, er mitt håp at bileta mine skal kommunisere med den som ser. Ein dialog som gir meining.¨
Els Geelen