PAINT & PAPER

Ron van Dam, born in Dirksland, the Netherlands, only started painting later in life. 
Fascinated by the complexity and beauty of the human figure and face, he decided to focus primarily on painting these subjects.

Originally, he never intended to paint on this scale. An unexpected turn in his life led him down this path, and from that moment on, he dedicated himself to the art of painting. After extensive experimentation, study, drawing, and painting, he now focuses on creating stimulating acrylic and mixed media artworks.

His pieces are made with acrylic paint or a combination of paint, media, and paper—such as clippings from newspapers, magazines, comics, and posters—giving each portrait a unique character. Constructing a portrait with paper snippets is a labor-intensive process. Finding the right tone and color among stacks of newspapers and magazines is an intensive search. In addition, he continuously experiments with different painting techniques and does not confine himself to a single style.

His collages contain information about accidents, war, genocide, sex, love, daily concerns, and all the topics that appear in media and literature, which he integrates into his paintings at random. During the creative process, his focus is not on the content but on form, tones, and color. However, he does use compelling images when necessary to enhance the intensity of the work.

His fascination with the human appearance and everything that lies beneath also plays a role in his artwork. His goal is to reveal the hidden beauty of each face and take the viewer on a journey of discovery. He is captivated by the unique features of every individual and draws inspiration from photographs that serve as the foundation for his paintings.

By combining a mix of colors, textures, and imagery, he creates layered and thought-provoking artworks.