ILONA VAN HOEK

Thornton, NH

ILona Van Hoek was born in Berlin Germany -1949. She relocated in 1988 to the Netherlands and USA in 1992. In 2002 she became a permanent resident of the US. Apart from the inheritance of salient features the upbringing takes up a considerable part in achieving a status gained through personal merit rather than as a result of the circumstances into which somebody is born. Nonetheless, it is also significant how the environment presents itself to the adolescent.

As a little child I learned to paint on sand ways. My father animated me to decipher figures and images in the clouds and in nature. We painted with our mind, let it develop our great paintings, tried to explain it to others, and subsequently to search for a novel imaginary picture. We employed hours and hours therewith and crept into a beautiful and different world.

I remember that in the latter days of my childhood, during nighttime, I was painting pictures in my mind, and these were brought onto paper diurnal. By the way, this ability is sustained into the present. I usually produce a painting mentally days before the act of painting. The mental picture is in a finished state, with color and full detail, allowing that what I see can be put on canvas. (Unless, of course, there is interference and distraction)
When I was about 12 years old I painted portraits not just about to perfectly freeze them onto paper, but to be keen to utilize minimal time and stress the facial expressions. Often I modified the drawing and made it different to look like younger or older faces. Later, during my travels I exploited this achievement to receive money in return to finance the expenses of traveling.

Nowadays I am asked whether I using sketches, or whether I am capturing photos, or whether I need models for a painting. No, I don’t need all of this because I have this ability to create a complete and detailed picture in my mind.

www.artistilonavanhoek.com