Publication: ph11072012

Venice, masks, mystery and drama all inspire Escha van den Bogerd to paint.

“Venice has always been my place to go for inspiration and I am trying to bring some of that magical atmosphere to Wellington in July.”

Bogerd will be exhibiting her paintings solo for the first time in Wellington and it will be her first show based around Venice.

The Dutch born artist, based in Normandale, has been working as artist been painting for 17 years. Her large acrylic-on-canvas paintings are inspired by the old masters of Italy and Holland.

The Dutch Old Masters’ art makes her feel as though she can travel back in time to see how life was in 16th and 17th-Century Europe, she says.

Escha has been painting since she was three and has studied art throughout Europe and her work has been sold to far flung places like Mauritius and Peru, through her website eschasgallery.com.

She says dividing her time between her family in Holland and her partner in New Zealand makes her appreciate both cultures.

She enjoys the peace and quiet of New Zealand’s native bush, and being out of Europe makes her want to connect to her culture through her art.

“It might sound weird. But when I am here I miss the old cultures more. So I get almost more inspired by not being there and it makes me paint it even more.”

Bogerd will have seven Venetian masks on display, from her travels, which have inspired her art.

She will also serve some Italian food accompanied by classical music from composers such as Vivaldi to make the atmosphere complete.

The exhibition, La Serenissima, opens on July 7 and runs to July 29 at Kiwi Art House Gallery on 288 Cuba St.

Everyone is encouraged to bring their own masks, although some masks will be available in the gallery for people to wear, she says.