Johan Arp

General
Johan Arp lives in Middenbeemster, the Netherlands. After studying commercial and illustrative drawing, he gradually developed as a painter from a realistic to an abstract and expressionistic style. The courses he followed at the Center for Artistic Design, “Wherelant”, in Purmerend and the “Stichting Kunst en Vorming” (Foundation for Art and Design) in Amsterdam have inspired a rapid stream of creativity.

Since doing national service in the Dutch Army, Johan has been commissioned to design logos, posters, paintings and murals. In 1976, some of his political prints appeared in the section “The drawings from a reader” of the “Trouw” national newspaper. He gains inspiration from holiday sketches, notes, newspaper articles and photographs.

In 1997, he won first prize at an exhibition by amateur painters and photographers from Waterland in “De Purmaryn” theatre with his painting entitled “Dance macabre” (the theme of this exhibition was “theatre, drama, and dynamics”). He has taken part in other group and personal exhibitions.

Johan Arp’s aim is to create the “ultimate” painting, with the right colour combination, composition and feeling without it necessarily being artistically “perfect”. Finding the right balance is the what he finds most exciting and challenging.

Inspiration
• Sport in general and athletics in particular are where his interests lie. Sport has been the source of inspiration for many of his paintings. Frozen images of sportsmen and women can inspire one to think of dansers with their acrobatic jumps and poses.
“In the area of sport, “magic moments” can sometimes arise. My challenge is to capture such a moment, giving the image a sense of speed that draws the eye to the picture as if it were a magnet.”
• Johan is fascinated by people, which explains his passion for painting portraits. His challenge is to capture the character in someone’s face without putting too much emphasis on their photographic image. People in Africa stand out because of their sense of pride and their colourful array. Notably the African women with their magnificent clothes and jewellery are often the source of inspiration for his paintings
• Water also captivates Johan: the continuous flickering of light, the mirroring of images, the transparentness and movement are of great appeal. To capture all this on canvas is extremely satisfying for him.

Exhibitions
1997 Exhibition featuring amateur painters and photographers from Waterland in “De Purmaryn” theatre in Purmerend (theme: “theatre, drama and dynamics”).
- Johan won first prize with his “Dance macabre” painting
Personal exhibition in “De Ark” in Purmerend
Group exhibition in the Town Hall at Limmen
Personal exhibition in “De Doortocht” in Purmerend
1998 Group exhibition in the Town Hall in Purmerend (theme: “In dialogue with modern masters”
2001 Personal exhibition in the local community centre "De Inval" in Purmerend (theme: "Sport and Dance"
2002 Personal exhibition in a local medical centre “De Molentocht” in Purmerend
2003 Group exhibition in the local community centre “Het Noot” in Purmerend
Group exhibition in “De Purmaryn” theatre in Purmerend
Group exhibition in the St. Laurens Church in Alkmaar
Personal exhibition in the Town Hall in Purmerend (Aug./Sept.)
2004 Personal exhibition in the book shop “Het Boekeneiland” in Purmerend
Participant in the “Kunst- & Crearoute 2004” (Art & Creation Route 2004) in Purmerend.
More information about exhibitions you can find in the main menu button: Exposities

Education
• In 1966, Johan started the training course “Commercial and illustrative drawing” at the “Famous Artists School”, which he finished 1969
• In 1986 and 1987, he took several courses on portrait and model drawing at the Center for Artistic Design “Wherelant”, in Purmerend
• In order to free himself from the realistic painting style, between 1995 and 1997, Johan took several courses run by the Foundation for Art and Design in Amsterdam (het “COBRA-gevoel” / “de Verwildering” (the COBRA touch / off the beaten track)) given by the painter Igor Kusmirak
• In 2003, Johan followed a course on painting with water colours by Lucas van Diepen – an instructor at “Wherelant”
• In 2008/2011, Johan followed a course on etchings en etstechniques by Guus Glass- an instructor at Wherelant

Information
For information e-mail : johanarp@gmail.com
Adress: Joris Ariën Ruijterstraat 29, 1462 XK Middenbeemster Tel. 0299-424690