Frank Holzenburg

Painting and drawing accompany all my life, or to quote Willem de Kooning: "I do not paint to live, I live to paint." No, of course that is an exaggeration, but I am happy to be able to paint every day.

Frequently I’m asked: Why that small, isn’t that bad for the eyes? Well, I think I have to care for my eyes, so I use reading glasses or magnifying spectacles when I paint. In a short time I’m oblivious of painting something small, it just feels like painting.

I find small things desirable and intriguing all along. As a student I became acquainted to traditional French book illumination, very fascinating! In the literally sense of storybooks - they relate, every detail does.

Formerly I painted lots of landscapes and larger illuminations. Now, retrospectively, many of them are still miniatures, though in larger combination and frame. So you can see my larger formats as a reminiscence to these old illuminations.

I paint one image every day mostly – just what is in my mind, what I saw last day, what impressed me – a picture diary. And of course there is a list of many ideas and subjects. But honestly, I won’t ever cope with, the list is outgrowing.