Stella Burggraaf

In 2003, Stella graduated from the Ruudt Wackers Academy in Amsterdam, where she majored in drawing and painting. Initially, she worked extensively on location, often in the Wormer and Jisperveld (where she grew up) and the Starnmeerpolder. These days, she can be found every day in her studio in Westknollendam.

Stella on her work: “I paint landscapes, drawing inspiration from the polder landscape I see around me. The paintings are not a literal representation of reality, but convey an impression of non-existent landscapes that you might encounter anywhere in the Netherlands. My starting point is the horizon, around which I create my own image—spatial and simple. I seek to capture the atmosphere of marshy fields, mirror-like water, and Dutch skies. I play with the reflection of the sky on the water. In this way, the sky connects the land with the water.

I work with oil paint on canvas. The strength of my work lies in finding simple solutions, combined with a loose painterly touch. I often work in layers, and transparency plays an important role, but I also work wet-on-wet, seeking an immediate result.