Water
Water is a prominent theme in the life and work of
water colour painter Rijk Grisel. He was born in Tiel, an old medieval town in
Holland that lies at the bank of the river Waal. At the age of 17 he joined the Royal Dutch Navy. This was the
beginning of many years of travel and exploration of the world seas on board of
a variety of Navy ships. Grisel became diver in her Majesty’s service and
carried out many missions under often dangerous circumstances and at locations
of extraordinary natural beauty. The life at sea, both above the surface and
below, has provided him with rare opportunities to observe the play of colours
and water, as light is refracted by waves, clouds, stone and maritime artefacts
such vessels, sails and buoys. This extensive experience of the world of water
at a young age has had a lasting and formative influence on his sensibilities
and his art. It is perhaps no coincidence that Rijk Grisel prefers to work with
water colour techniques. The topics
of his work are also primarily water-related. Rijk Grisel refers to his work as
”stills of an ever floating and changing maritime world”. He characterizes his
style as romantic, figurative and concerned with achieving a subtle harmony of
light, shadow, colour and contrast.
Rijk Grisel lives in the Province of Zeeland, a part
of The Netherlands that is famous for its entanglement with the North Sea. The
sea cuts deep in to the land and engulfs the lovely green peninsulas and
dunes. On his trips in his sailing boat
along the coasts of Zeeland and the many small harbours of Zeeland he finds
inspiration for his work. His work was characterized by a critic as that
of a “romantic water colour painter with a light touch”.
