Adeline van Waning

Vitality and passion, on the one hand, and stillness and refinement, on the other, meet in the work of Adeline van Waning. Her work breathes wonder, space, simplicity, silence and a receptive openness to which the viewer is invited, in which all that is can show up. What is real, what is true, what lies before and beyond words and concepts? Painting for her is: surrender, not standing in the way; here un-learning often takes precedence over learning. Painting with a model is an encounter with the other person, as well as an ongoing confrontation with who you are yourself, in this moment. Until recently, Adeline mainly worked with acrylic paints, ink, charcoal, chalk and selfmade natural extracts, on different kinds of paper with special texture, like white rag, colourful Nepalese Lokta paper (peppertree) and Japanese kozo rice paper, with fibers of mulberry tree. Since 2012 she devotes herself to Sumi-e, the art of black ink painting on rice paper.

cv: For Adeline (Rotterdam, 1946) painting is a family affair, from father’s as well as mother’s side; mother painted in water colours. Painting and drawing have always offered a welcome balance with her work as a psychiatrist for children and adults. For a long time she has been involved in psychotherapeutic and scientific work, specifically with migrants and refugees. Her fascination with surprising developmental capabilities, resilience and varieties in ways of expression have always inspired her working with people as well as her artistic explorations. She painted at 'Kunstweb', Amsterdam (oil, water colours), and with Michiel Dhont (acryllic, charcoal). Since 2004 she has learnt a great deal from Peter Schenk, in painting with a model, in landscape and abstraction, in multiple media. As a worldcitizen she has travelled extensively, and worked for periods in Pakistan and Surinam in the seventies. In recent years her destinations often have been in the Far East, where she taught at universities in South-Korea and Japan. Calligraphy lessons with Hiroko Ishikawa refined her palette of expression. The last few years she devotes herself to Sumi-e black-ink painting, with Marjon de Jong - a fully recognized Master in this Japanese art - as an important source of inspiration. Additionally, she finds inspiration in spiritual wisdom traditions, Buddhist psychology, research in neurobiology and consciousness, and an embracing science of mind. She practices in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Dzogchen, and participates in the Diamond Approach (Ridhwan, A.H. Almaas), a contemporary path of self realization and liberation. Her commitment to living the truth has a deep foundation in concern for the planet and all beings sharing the planet. These involvements find expression in her artwork. See also website www.meditationapr.org .