every artist was first an amateur

Window decal I made for Flow magazine, in cooperation with the Rijksstudio of the Dutch RijksMuseum. I transformed the famous painting by Hans Bollongier into a Paint By Number painting, because my starting point was the quote Every artist was first an amateur. I was very curious about the end result, when printed, but I think it has become quite nice.
In any case, I cleaned my windows once again, was about time..

pyramide tribute

Weekly column on sightseeing in the Netherlands. Today, a piece on the Pyramid of Austerlitz, built in 1804 as a tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte. The article is by Gidi Heesakkers, she writes: To avoid bored visitors walking out immediately, the area around the pyramid is decorated like an endless fairground. This made me want to draw a deserted area, but when finishing the tower I thought it looked a bit like a rocket taking off. Adding the little planes would complete that image.

all aboard

Finally, my boardgame arrived! Check my site for more details: leoniebos.nl/safety-game

great art / bad pictures

"Another cracker of a show at London’s KK Outlet, this time showcasing the work of the very well-curated selection of artists that make up Hugo & Marie, New York’s most wonderful creative agency. Loosely based on the merging of science and visual arts, the 12 artists and illustrators – many of whom we regard as being some of the very best working today – have pooled their extraordinary minds to create this monster of a show." It's Nice That 

I saw this show with my own eyes last Saturday and - after 2 days of Pick Me Up - I could barely handle any more impressions but: what an a-ma-zing exhibition!! Surely it doesn't get any better than this, some of the works blew me away. Like this one, yes I'm sorry it's a pitiful-iphone-picture so it doesn't come close to what I saw, but still. It's by Kustaa Saksi, I'm sure destined to be an artist with a fabulous name like that.. But then, also to be able to live up to it and be this good. Can you hear me sigh with envy?..

And below Kustaa Saksi; pitiful-iphone-picture #2. Another insanely great work I could never see myself doing. This one is by Merijn Hos. At least his name resembles mine more than Kustaa Saksi's did, could there be hope?.. But, no, this is so playful and refreshing. I've got a long way to go, but a girl can dream. Hmm, that might be why the show is called Being / Dreaming..

i love london

How I love London... I'll keep a close watch on Pick Me Up 2014, another good reason to go back. But likely sooner. I'm in a hurry now but I'll be back with more photos and names that you do not want to miss.

london's calling

A little publicity has never hurt anyone; London will know I was in da house! The Somerset House that is, for the return of the Pick Me Up 2013, graphic arts festival. I expect a spectacular Inspiration Injection. Looking forward to four days of jolliness, can't wait!

on the cover & on the wall

A remake of one of Koekkoek's old school pictures. Loved working on it and couldn't wait to see the result in print. And now, finally in store! Thanks again, Astrid from flowmagazine!