Anja Sijben & Carrel Crawford 18 Aug. - 13 dec 2017

The Take Over

Anja Sijben and Carrel Crawford started working together through a drawing group created in 2013. In this group they began experimenting with different drawing techniques: blind drawing, drawing left handed, drawing with two hands, and eventually blind painting. They found a mutual excitement in these odd and curious creations and decided to combine their techniques by finishing each other’s drawings.

For Carrel, this is a great test of letting go of something precious, giving it to someone else and being okay with it. She also appreciates and is constantly amazed at seeing the different levels of fearless creativity that Anja possesses.
“You have to let go of your ego, of control, and then also get over the fact that you might screw up someone else’s creation. It is like a life lesson on how to get along with others.”

Anja loves the experimental aspect of the collaboration. She finds it exciting to react to another person’s way of working. She also sees it as a way of looking at and processing her own work. “Sometimes you can see in an instant what to do with the drawing and other times it is a struggle to get to a good point to say it is ready.” Anja admires how Carrel handles materials and colors in a controlled, quiet manner and then translates emotion with either angry brushstrokes, joyful details, or a specific use of color.

Some of these drawings have many layers and have gone back and forth between the two until they both like the outcome. Both artists are mindful of the original composition, by maintaining or bringing out the strongest elements. It is about trying to make something just a little bit more interesting.

To show some of the process we go through we have included some photos of the starting point and then the final outcome.

Opening: Friday August 18th 5-7 pm
Van der Helstplein 3, Amsterdam 

Exhibition: August 18th- 30 November 2017









Special thanks to our drawing group members who have consistently inspired us:
Astrid Koning, Chris Opheij, Christiane Naegele, Christina Ran, Marion Verbruggen, Nico Schaeffers

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