Gea Zwart

Gea was born in 1968 in Hoevelaken, the youngest of four children. She has lived in the north, center, and west of the country. This journey across the Netherlands has made her feel at home among all kinds of people.

After studying biology for a year, she decided to attend art school. She graduated as an independent artist at the age of 24. Since then, she has worked as a freelance artist and designer. She has been self-employed since 2000.

Gea is a nature lover and prefers to seek out the most inhospitable areas possible to experience the power and grandeur of nature. She has taken beautiful nature trips through Nepal and Europe. Since she works in Amsterdam, she also seeks out nature in the city—and it’s definitely there!

She sees herself as a down-to-earth person with a spiritual side. Or, put another way, a spiritual person with a down-to-earth side. This mix allows her to dream big, but also to put those dreams into practice. Putting things into perspective with a touch of humor is another result of this.

Gea says about her work: “My work is layered”

Literally, because of the technique itself. I paint with transparent layers on top of one another, alternating between open areas and opaque ones. I use collage techniques and various materials. The whole piece is vibrant and alive.

Layers allow me to depict movement and change. I imbue the same image with multiple meanings. At first, you’re captivated by the use of color. Only then does the interplay begin, and the painting reveals itself over time.

My work is philosophical—it adds another layer. I associate titles and poetry with it; I collaborate frequently with poets, which adds an even deeper layer.

Elements playing out in the background can also form a layer—traces from the past and associations. They resonate, sometimes without you even fully realizing it. Experiences and what they lead back to can sometimes be traced and sometimes not. You carry them with you, like an invisible shadow. And I hope that, through my work, I bring new traces into the future. That’s a beautiful thought. A layer of the future.

I use contrasts. I place uplifting, light elements alongside the darkness, which suffocates and pulls you down. Without contrasts, everything remains flat, and no movement is set in motion—in anything at all. This layer is there, too.

Nature is in constant motion. By depicting an experience of nature, I reinforce the subject matter of the work. Another layer.