Anita Vermeeren

The Netherlands, 1967
Paintings
Anita Vermeeren’s large charcoal sketches are the result of making frescoes. A technique in which Vermeeren started experimenting from 2008, when she discovered Michelangelo’s fresco technique and the charismatic prophets during a visit to Rome.
Just like the Renaissance painters, Anita Vermeeren also makes her design sketches (also called cartons) 1:1 before she finally produces a fresco. These great sketches of prophets made a lot of impact on her.
Pure and powerful image. In combination with watercolor paint, the charcoal sketch is edited. Together with water, Vermeeren wants to control the sketch. The water blurs the charcoal and threatens to lose the drawing. Then the challenge is to get the drawing above water again. This gives the drawing more depth.
As an artist she has a lot to lose in her charcoal drawings. Charcoal, whether or not combined with various techniques, in which she continues to deepen. This working method is also reflected in her oil paintings. In this, layers of paint are removed, so that underlying layers come back up. As if the image is found in these underlying layers.
“Together with water, Vermeeren wants to control the sketch. The water fades the charcoal, so that the drawing is in danger of being lost.”
