ERNA GOUDBEEK

Erna Goudbeek has made a name for herself as one of the best loved nature artists of this time, influenced by her love for the natural world. This Dutch-native artist has developed an extremely captivating style that enables her to capture "the soul of the Arabian horse". Her oil paintings are both evocative and energetic, showing a side of the Arabian Horse that few of us have seen... 1. Welcome to the AHM team, Erna! Could you please share with our readers some background information about you and your family? I was born on the 26th. of April 1966. I grew up with my mum, dad and two younger brothers in Almelo, a town in the East of Holland. We had a happy childhood and were very fortunate to have parents that ensured we learned about nature. We used to cycle and walk in nature, visiting nature reserves to see animals in their natural habitat. My mum and dad certainly have played a role in my creativity. Unfortunately, my dad passed away in October 2014, but I feel so blessed that he was still with us to see some of my most significant achievements in my painting career. I feel blessed with the support and encouragement that I always have had from my parents. My mother continues to be very proud of me, and I am sure my dad is watching over me. He told me to keep painting and I will certainly do that! 2. Would you be so kind as to explain how you became an artist? What kind of training did you receive and where? One of my first loves as a child was drawing with a pencil. I remember that I spent a lot of time drawing, animals mostly, but it was not till later in my life in 1999, while I was still working at the NATO Base in Holland, that I pursued this love of drawing animals by starting to work with pastels. By 2000, I decided to broaden my skills by joining a group of watercolour painters, I worked with this medium for another two years. In that same year, I met my partner Brian, who is now my husband, at the NATO Base. He loved my pastel work and saw real potential in what I could achieve. He supported me from the beginning of my career in art and still supports me intensely today. For that, I will be forever grateful! So in 2002, I made two major decisions in my life; I stopped working at the NATO Base and moved with Brian to Neugnadenfeld, a lovely small village in Germany and I learned to work with oils. I was part of a painters group in Holland, the Peinturisten. This is when I feel that my love and passion for my work really began! 3. What came first, the horses or the art? Why did you first become interested in Arabian horses as an artistic subject? My love for horses came first, especially when I saw these beauties at my uncle's farm. As a kid, I tried to draw them, so the interest was already there at a young age. When I joined the Peinturisten in 2002, I started with all sorts of subjects to learn how to work with oils. After a few years, I settled into painting birds of prey and Arabian horses. The first major Arabian horse I painted was called 'the Arabian Beauty', see photograph. My first visit to the Middle East was to Abu Dhabi, Al Ain (UAE) in 2011, where I was invited to the International Festival of Falconry, representing Holland with two oil paintings as a finalist in the Art competition. When I was there, I also saw some Arabian horses and I fell even more in love with their raw beauty. After returning home, I then decided to concentrate more of my time on painting Arabian horses alongside my birds of prey. That was the beginning of many more to come! 4. Where and when did you first encounter an Arabian horse? Who was he/she? Share some details with us… As I previously mentioned, I first became involved and interested in horses when I saw the beautiful horses of my uncle Henk, who bred horses at his farm in Holland. He also had, as I recall, one or two Arabians of which I have no history. I remember my uncle sometimes gave me his old horse magazines, so I could draw examples from them. I really enjoyed that time! 5. How do you capture the horses' personalities in your paintings? I love all horse breeds, but what I find most fascinating about Arabian horses is their raw beauty, words are not enough to describe what I feel when I am busy painting an Arabian horse! There is something special about the Arabian; their beauty and grace are overwhelming, the eyes… large and beautiful, the long neck and high tail carriage. I feel so much energy when I paint such a unique horse and I bring that same energy back into my work. An Arabian horse promotes strength, intelligence, nobility, elegance and of course, its glorious 'floating trot'. 6. Which artists have influenced you the most? As I have grown as an artist, I still feel heavily influenced by my teacher Mr Guust van den Noort. While working with other painters in this group, I studied with my teacher intensely. When he was young, he in turn studied with a Master of the School of The Hague. He gave me a great gift; the confidence to paint! He always told me that I was a natural talent. This in turn gave me the will to develop my own technique. Alas, I am a perfectionist, I am never fully satisfied with a painting. I strive with each piece to get better; to become the best artist I can be. Unfortunately, my teacher passed away in 2012, when I need it, I think of his last words to me "…I believe in you and you will get there, just keep painting with your heart…". I always have been inspired by work from the Dutch Old Masters of the Golden Age, one especially, his work always stood out the way he worked with darkness and light, that is of course Rembrandt, the Master in working in such a realistic way! I also admire the impressionistic oil paintings of the painters of the Hague school, a group of artists who lived and worked in The Hague between 1860 and 1890. These painters generally made use of relatively sombre colours, which is why the Hague School is sometimes called the Gray School. "There is something special about the Arabians... Their beauty and grace are overwhelming, the eyes… large and beautiful, the long arched neck and high tail carriage"... 7. Do you have any secret rituals to help you get in the zone for your art? Is there a particular place that inspires you? I can't say I have any secret or crazy rituals, but there is certainly a particular place that inspires me… Our beautiful home is in a small German village, just over the border from Holland. In this little village where we live, surrounded by nature and wildlife, I find the inspiration I need to create my oil paintings. When I'm not travelling to events, exhibitions or fairs, (incidentally where I find a great deal of my inspiration), you can find me in my studio, where I can work peacefully. I am most at peace while listening to beautiful music or just the sounds of nature around me. Here, I feel like I've gone back in time yet finally have come home and settled down. 8. What effect does the Internet have on art? Does it affect yours? If so, how? Social media is an exceptionally powerful marketing tool for me. I embrace both Instagram and Facebook where I can connect with potential buyers, fans and fellow artists. People can connect directly with me and talk about my work. I have had a lot of word of mouth commission work through the internet, when someone has had an order done, they highly recommend me to others. I also think having a website is very important to building my credibility as a professional artist. It gives people information about when and where the next exhibitions are going to be, my biography, interviews, etc. Social media gives me a way to share my art with the world! 9. Do you have a favourite piece or collection? It is very difficult to choose an individual painting, I always put my heart and soul into every painting that I create… they all have something special in them. I am a perfectionist, after every painting that I finished, I always feel that I could do better… so…. if I have to choose my favourite/best painting… then that will be my next one! 10. When did you last exhibit? Have you heard that some of your works were auctioned at the 2022 Katara International Festival in Qatar during the Al Aseel Art Auction? I last exhibited in 2018 for the 2nd. time at the Mara'ee in Bahrain and I was preparing to again return to Bahrain to exhibit in early 2020, but because of the global pandemic, everything was put on hold. Thankfully things are getting back to normal and I am looking forward to my next exhibition. Regarding my work which has been auctioned, I only found out from you, which was a nice surprise for me. I found a video from the auction, which was really nice to watch and it's placed on my website. 11. What is the best way for potential clients to reach you? Do you typically offer a package? The best way for potential clients to reach me is through my website… www.ernagoudbeek.com, using a contact form. I also can be contacted via Instagram, Facebook or my e-mail: ernagoudbeek@hotmail.com I endeavour to respond within 24 hours to any inquiry. Regarding a package, I try to work to set prices for different sizes of panels that I work on. But at the end of the day, there are so many variables involved when I price my work. Every commission is different, but I work with the client to deliver what they require. 12. Where do you see yourself in the next five years? What are your hopes and dreams for the future? Some of my successes have led me to travel and exhibit in places I never thought I would ever go to. Over the next five years, my dream and goal are to exhibit my work even further and further around the world, to be able to interact with all kinds of nationalities. When I am painting, I can express my true emotional self in the painting. I know I have been successful when I see that same depth of emotional response in the eyes of those who view my paintings. Currently, I am working on a beautiful collection of oil paintings, most of them depicting the heritage of the Bahraini Pure Bred Arabian horses alongside Birds of Prey, Camel(s), etc. It is for a special exhibition to be held in Bahrain, planned for December 2023 in conjunction with a Bahraini Sculptor, Khalid Farhan. As soon as everything is confirmed regarding this exhibition, the information will be placed on my website! Thank you very much, Erna. This conversation about Arabian horses and art today was very inspirational. Here's to your continued success!