For this Art Residency I was invited  by  the owner Mr. Ahmed Yefei from the Art Hub Hatta. I stayed here for 3 weeks, next to this hand tufted art works I created as well a big metal Sculpture Shoe that is now part of the Hatta Art Hub Outdoor Museum and I give some workshops for children.

Inspiration
It is an extreme contrast, the landscape at my home country The Netherlands and the landscape here in Hatta, UAE. During my time here I fell in love with the strange combination oft he desert and the mountains, they are wild and rugged and very beautiful. And at the same time you have the fine dust and desert sands that blows up and goes on, leaving magical colors in the sky. The land has hints of green here and there. The peaceful seas and the beautiful palm trees are simply breathtaking and I also noticed the hospitality of the local people, the warmth that not only exudes this beautiful country in the winter, but also the warmth, and love of the people that I have met here.

As a designer I am always focused on opposites, structures and textures. There are so many different structures here, if you look at the landscape, think of the mountains, stones, different types or plants and palm trees but also all the different shadows that are changing when the earth is routing. Also i got the possibility to travel a little bit, so that is when I also saw the sea of Dubai and Fujairah, with the coastlines and the shells. Precisely because of all these different structures, textures and shadows, I was inspired by the work, local heritage and pure nature that inspired me here during my Art Residency. It is an abstract translation of the oasis in  which I had the opportunity to live and a reflection on my impressions.

Special thank sto Mr. Ahmed Yefei for my invitation for the Art Hub Hatta.