*2625
Holland

-Holland-

Watercolor and pen on 300gr paper (26x 18cm)

The ice creaks softly beneath my feet, as if it recognizes me. In my country of origin, this is no act of bravery, no athletic achievement — it’s simply a given. It’s cold, there’s ice, so we go skating. Period.
In jeans, with a traditional Dutch Unox hat pulled low over our ears. No helmet, no high-tech skating suit — just red cheeks and the quiet trust that the ice will hold.

It always starts a bit clumsy. Sliding, wobbling, arms stretched wide — a dance no one ever taught us. But soon the body finds its rhythm. And somewhere along the edge awaits the reward: koek & zopie. A steaming cup of pea soup or hot chocolate, with a familiar tune playing softly in the background, as timeless as the moment itself.

This painting captures more than a skater on ice. It captures childhood nostalgia. The stillness of a winter morning. The freedom of doing something simply because you can. These are memories that stay warm, even when the cold creeps through your coat.
/Geraldine


Titel ''Holland'': songtitel of music of Hermien Deurloo