Meet the Artist: Corine Van Voorbergen

We’re delighted to introduce artist Corine van Voorbergen, whose exquisite work will feature in the campaign for The Affordable Online Art Fair (9 April – 3 May 2021, affordableartfair.com).

We’re mesmerised by the cosmic magnetism of ‘Flitspopper 3’ and can’t wait to see it cast its magic spell online through our advertising campaign.

We caught up with Corine to learn more about her beautiful artwork, read on for more…

Hi Corine, could you tell us about your background and how your career as an artist started?

As a child, I moved around a lot and attended lots of different schools. Everywhere I went, my parents were told that I was very creative and that I had to do something with it, and this led me to study at the IVKO art school in Amsterdam, where I developed artistically.

In all honesty, after my training, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. For a while I went in a completely different direction, to hotel school, and then on to a furniture workshop which specialised in designing for the hospitality industry.

Time in the workshop lead me full circle. Inspired by the beautiful materials and projects I worked with, my creative spirit was rekindled, and I finally started out on my path as a working artist.

What do you hope people feel when they see your work?

I hope people feel happy when they see my work! But, really, I think a genuine emotion is important. Sometimes there is a special story behind my work. For example, in my piece ‘Awareness’, I tried to convey the feeling of being very deep in the sea and walking on the moon. In both cases, you look at an infinite void and it is absolutely silent. You only hear your own heartbeat and thoughts. This makes you completely aware of yourself.

How would you describe a typical day in the studio?

My days are really varied. When I am not abroad, travelling to art fairs, I work in my studio in Zaandam where I lock myself up with music to create new works. There are also days when I sit down with my husband Mark, and Blijde my assistant, and we plan for the coming period. Spending time brainstorming with them, as well as working in a studio in the middle of a Making Community, with lots of creative people, provides a lot of inspiration and sparks new collaborations.

What other areas of art and culture inspire your work?

While I have many different sources of inspiration, the most important is nature. I’m intrigued by the way materials, shapes and colours evolve in nature and how these processes can become immortalised in stone.

I’m also influenced by music and other artists. Just like with art, music also brings out emotions and feelings. I get especially inspired when I listen to Bonobo, Cinematic Orchestra and Rhye. The Italian artist, Federico Clapis, is a big inspiration right now. He makes unbelievably beautiful sculptures in which he depicts what moves today’s society. They’re really thought proving.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received from someone?

The best advice I have ever received is that I should continue to believe in myself and have confidence in my own qualities. Stay close to yourself. This is how you create the most beautiful things. And it helps, as I find I can keep innovating as long as I don’t care too much about the negative reactions of other people.

How do you feel about your artwork being taken around the world in The Affordable Online Art Fair campaign?

It’s a tremendous compliment that my work is used for this campaign and it feels extra special because the art fair represents the artworld’s answer to the pandemic. There has undoubtedly been a huge impact on the world of art, everyone has been impacted in either a direct or indirect way – the artists, galleries, art fairs, collectors and art lovers. But art is unstoppable, whatever you throw at it.

Huge thanks to Corine for sharing her inspiration and story with us, to see even more of her works, join us for The Affordable Online Art Fair (9 April – 3 May, affordableartfair.com) where you’ll find her works exhibited by Galerie Art Expositions gallery.

Main image: Corine van Voorbergen’s artwork in The Affordable Online Art Fair campaign. Flitspopper – 80 cm, mixed-media, £3,950, Galerie Art Expositions