Once an Inventor, Always an Explorer

Before I became a full-time artist, I spent years working at the cutting edge of industrial chemistry—developing new catalysts for materials that now quietly shape everyday life. I’m listed as (co-)inventor on more than 35 patents and have contributed to several scientific publications. One of my proudest achievements? Creating a catalyst still used in the production of EPDM rubber; found in everything, from car door seals to high-performance components. Innovation has always been part of who I am.

Today, I bring that same mindset to the world of fine art.

When I first entered the realm of classical painting, very little was known about the original techniques of the Old Masters. I immersed myself in historic treatises and combined their insights with my own chemistry background to recreate their processes—from scratch. My current method closely mirrors those used by the Van Eyck brothers and Leonardo da Vinci, down to the way light gently moves across a painted surface.

Reinventing What Was Thought Lost

One challenge stood out: the use of lead white, a pigment once praised for its softness and brilliance, especially in painting skin. But it’s also highly toxic and chemically unstable over time.

During my preparation for the Dutch TV program De Nieuwe Vermeer, I made a breakthrough. By carefully balancing modern pigments—primarily titanium white and zinc white—and combining them with my own ground recipe, I was able to recreate that unmistakable, silky skin glow without the health risks of lead. The result? A safer, more sustainable method, indistinguishable in texture and finish from the Old Masters’ work.

What drives me hasn’t changed: the urge to understand, improve, and create things that last. Whether in science or in art, I continue to look for better ways forward—always with care, curiosity, and precision.