Background information: WIL MAZELAND (1954), Groningen
Wil was born in 1954 in Oldenzaal, in the Netherlands. In 1977 he moved to Groningen and still lives there. He has always been interested in art and since 1992 he is fulltime occupied with painting.
He has had several lessons from different painters, e.g. van Bert Jan Botschuijver and Maike van der Kooy, a well-known member of the famous artgroup "De Groninger Ploeg".
Wil Mazelands paintings are a colourful expression of reality. Expressionistic painters who have had a major influence at his work are e.g. Willem de Kooning en Jannes de Vries.
March/ April 2000 Mazeland had a solo exhibition in Cape town (South-Africa). At that time he has explored this colourful country and he got "caught" by the magic of this continent.
Main subjects in the paintings of Wil Mazeland are European and African nature and human beings, especially from Africa.
His paintings of nature express his interest in unspoiled landscapes and the "wild" animals. In his paintings of African people he wants to reflect their inner dignity. Culture, magic and personality are very important elements.
For
Wil Mazeland painting is a way of expressing his thoughts and inner feelings.
Therefore his paintings often show a personal character. Sometimes his
paintings are very colourful, almost wild and express a dynamic atmosphere.
Other paintings express almost an inner silence and have a quiet atmosphere.
The art magazine "Expression" commented the work of Mazeland
as follows: "The main issue in the art of Mazeland is his love for
nature and certainly also the mysticism. His paintings are of a great
beauty. They challenge you to explore the message of nature." (September
2001).
Mazeland often works with acrylic paint. In his paintings of Africa he
regularly uses sand from Swaziland that he dug himself from the oldest
mine of Africa. This sand contains mineral ochre's: he paints "Africa
with Africa".
Since 1997 there have been various exhibitions of Wil Mazeland, both solo
and within a group.
A selection of past exhibitions:
- 1998 Medieval Church, Tolbert Groningen (solo)
- 1999 International Art manifestation, Veere Zeeland (group)
- 1999 Castle Ammersoyen, Ammerzoden Gelderland (solo)
- 2000 Art gallery The Framery, Cape town South Africa (solo)
- 2000 Art fair Artiade, Alkmaar Noord-Holland
- 2000 De Wandelgangen,Hilvarenbeek Noord-Brabant (solo)
- 2001 De Bornse synagogue, Borne Overijssel (solo)
- 2001 Art gallery The Monastery, De Goorn Noord-Holland (group)
- 2002 African Art manifestation , Almere Flevoland (group)
- 2002 Gallery De Witte Kamer, Delden Overijssel (duo)
- 2003 Gallery Lemferdinge, Paterswolde Drenthe (duo)
- 2003 Gallery Art &Job, Hornhuizen Groningen (duo)
- 2003 Gallery Brunstingerhof, Beilen Drenthe (trio)
- 2004 Art manifestation AA kerk, Groningen Groningen (group)
- 2004 Gallery Forma Aktua, Groningen Groningen (group)
- 2004 Gallery Geert W, Noord-Sleen Drenthe (solo)
Coming exhibitions in 2004:
- South African Embassy The Hague (solo)
- Gallery Vinken Exloo (trio)
Nederlands
