Enthullen Ed. 4 of 75

In the mid-1950s, this tree was just an ordinary tree. However, after a severe storm that ravaged the area for weeks, the tree was struck by lightning. This powerful strike split the crown in two, but instead of destroying the tree, the lightning unveiled it’s true splendor. The tree flourished with new colors, displaying its deepest essence.

The subdued residents of Nestelthal, who had always been taught to conform to the conservative small community, were deeply moved by the tree’s transformation.
Touching the trunk, they were overwhelmed by a great warmth and a courage never felt before. They began to believe that, just like the tree showed its true colors, everyone who touched the tree would be inspired to accept and show their own true nature. However, accepting this gift was not an action to be taken lightly. Once touched, it meant an irreversible revelation to those around them.

Yet, the story -about why the tree fed on the sweet tears of relief- quickly spread. Soon, Nestelthal became a place of pilgrimage, where people from far and wide came to touch the tree and leave behind the burden of their secrets.

By the late 1960s, the village began to reap the benefits of increased tourism.
Today, ‘the Festival of the Heart’ is held annually. It is whispered that in the early days around this tree, even the very beginnings of the later gay prides originated.

Follow

Bluethumber since July 2018*I started painting quite late. In my late twenties, when I worked as an accountant assistant, I decided to take another path in life. So, I picked up some books from the library about oil painting techniques and I started to create.I was not involved in the regular ‘art world’, I didn’t know any artists and I had no peers from art school. My simple plan was to create ‘a stock’ and than show them to art galleries.Not long after my first modest exhibition in a small gallery, my friend and I moved to a house with a large old industrial space, located in a village. We spend 100 litres of wall paint and opened the doors. Gallery ‘Van Lubeck‘ was born.Beside showing my own work, we exhibited fellow artists every 6 weeks. A few times a year we organised a wine tastery to attract people. I slowly got a peek into the world of artists of my era.*In 2005 we moved from the Netherlands to New Zealand. In New Zealand nobody had ever heard of me and I had to start all over. The funny thing was I suddenly had become an ‘international artist’, only because of the fact that I lived in another country. I still exhibited in Europe and got several exhibitions in Australia. And in the meantime we travelled a lot.*In 2017 we moved again. New Zealand was nice, but having grown up in Europe, we started to miss the big city.Now I’m living and working in NSW. Sydney is nearby, but Maitland has the perfect mix of being a vibrant city while having the feel of community a village offers.My recently created oil paintings are all about 'individualism'. Most of the people can associate themselves with one of the trees in the paintings. The trees are performing like actors. Every person is gifted with at least one special thing in life, so you easily can personify yourself with one of the actors. As the brave one, the cheeky one, or the lucky one. But also if you don't take the titles too literally, you can see the solo acting tree as a leading one in a group, a showing one in a circle of viewers or a guiding one in front of a public. In some way, we all are the one. Even if it is for just once.