Paintings by Jan Huijbers
click on image to enlarge
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| Ocean Shamanic Carnival |
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| Genetic ocean markers | Pacific islands in colour | The Meeting |
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| Neptune's treasure | Neptune's gate |
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| Ocean carnival | Marching colours (& detail) |
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| Happy Days (& detail) | Liquid Ocean |
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| Genetic Encounter | Ocean Angel (& detail)  |
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| Tapa Moana Series | Tapa Moana Series Elementary basics |
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| Simultaneous movements |
Ocean deluge |
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| Tapa Moana Series The framed genetic ones |
Tapa Moana series |
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| Ocean ancient evolution | Whale Sperm | Spirit of Taranaki |
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| Scarlet Connections |
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| Cuming's Cone | Atlantis 4 | Atlantic Crossroads |
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| Gate to the Underworld | The Eye of the Ocean |
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| Ocean Heartbeat | Whale's Cry | Oceania |
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| Pacific Melody | Pacific Treaty |
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| Ocean Script (Terebra Maculata) |
Embrace (Map Cowrie) | Ripple (Chlamys Nodosus) |
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| (Conus augur solander) | Raro Leopard (Conus leopardus) |
| Radical understanding about patterns on shells. |
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| Sacred Flight (Chiton ischno versidolor) |
Cloud Four (Conus betulinus) |
Mayan Angle (Conus magus) |
| For several years I have painted shells because I was attracted to their unique brilliant colours and their structures. My purpose is to show that shells can communicate to us. In ancient times shells played a role in the cultures of many people on the globe. For example shells were traded as currency in the Pacific Islands and in Hinduism the turbinella pyrum shell had a sacred function. Even today, the conch is used to sound the coming of the Divine Master based on the ancient tradition. |
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| Conus bulbus (X5) | ||||
| An example of a study analysis of a single shell pattern into their well balanced parts. After studying and painting shells, I developed the idea to focus on pattern of colour and design and to enhance this as an art form. The shells began to communicate to me their message via colour and pattern, rather than through their structure so it is this idea that I would like to develop further. |
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| Sea People (Oliva incrassata) |
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| Zebraic Creatures (Neritina Communis) | Current Reflections (Smaragdia Viridus) |
| The shell patterns (as shown here) can further be categorised in their "family tree" (cones, cowries, olives, conches, etc.) and by doing so, I became quite excited to see how strong these combinations became as an art form together. I have gained an insight that nature is sending us a message and I can bring this awareness to others by developing this art. |
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| Upwards Movements (Chiton abolineatus) | (detail) |
| At present the shell project is in a progressive stage and a lot of study has begun with investigating family groups and relationships. This will proceed as a creative process transforming the shell images into an art form. The paintings showing developed studies of shell patterns, (without seeing the shell itself) as an extremely well balanced separation of positive and negative fields created by a natural growing process of the shell. |
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| Arctic Attractions (Oliva porphyria) (X3) | ||
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The discoveries by Professor Stephen Wolfram in his book "A New Kind Of Science" shows that by
using the types of rules (cellular automata) embodied in a very simple computer program, one can see many of the basic
mechanisms of nature in a very complex way! The patterns created by these simple cellular automata computer programs showing pattern prints,very similar to the those on shells. As a result the emotional balance between nature and science's negative and positive fields within the shell patterns are "just perfect". (Reference: pages 11,24,25,55,192,423,etc. of Prof. Stephen Wolfram's book "A new kind of science") |
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| Tribal Meeting (Conus tanunculus) |
| Also you can imagine on a large scale canvases with their vibrant colours into well-selected
combinations can create a fresh approach of art communication to the viewer. When whole series of pattern combinations are arranged together the images will be acting like a musical notebook or a language - the ocean language. |
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| (Conus leopardus) | (Conus jickeli) |
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I realise this is just a beginning in what is an very exciting developing art expression supported by science and nature. Sincerely hoping the "Radical understanding about patterns on shells" project has touched your heart and interest. |
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| Aztec City (Voluta Cymbiola Vespertilius) |
Star Wars (Oliva Sayana Ravenal) |
| Expected outcomes: First: To re-generate further the ancient emotional and ritual connection between the ocean and humanity. Second: A chance to re-visit our lost and forgotten feelings with nature. |
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| Trumpeteer (Conus pergrandus) | Musical Notebook (Voluta musica) |
Adam & Eve (Conus princeps) |
| With assistance from: |
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| Jan Huijbers Description of work "The intention of my work is to make the viewer aware of the wellbeing of the ocean. For me the ocean is the most beautiful thing in the world with all its blue and purity. Nowere else are the colours so beautiful as here in the Pacific. But those colours are fading as well as its creatures. They (the ocean) don't have the power to stop the abuse and attack from human activity. Their spirit is enclosed in the story shown in the art, to tell us to make a connection/bridge of respect to their world. Restoring this repect will give us both the right to live; destruction will end both worlds." Brief biography Jan is a full time artist currently residing in New Plymouth, Taranaki. In his art career he has been commissioned by Gilze Reijen for the City Council building; the "Trappisten Abbey" in Zundert, 300th anniversary of a guild in Zundert. Migrating to Aotearoa in 1983 from the Netherlands, Jan has since adopted the Pacific influence and develops his own insights of its methodologies. As a practising artist, he is a committee member of the North Taranaki Community Arts council. He has joined in selected group exhibitions and created several mural art works for the New Plymouth District Council, New World and several other companies. He has exhibited internationally and locally, throughout the North and South Islands. Selected shows include: Mishima Japan 1992; Melbourne Australia "Chapel of Chapel Gallery" 2003; Illustrator for the new Puke Ariki Museum creating pre-European Maori images with consent and collaboration of the Maori tribe chiefs and elders; solo exhibiiton at the Percy Thomson Gallery in Stratford 2005. Nominated for the Martin Hughes Contemporary Pacific Art Award in Auckland in 2005. |
Jan Huijbers lives and works in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
email Jan at janhuijb @ clear.net.nz (remove the spaces)
See some of his earlier paintings.