Edo Hannema
Edo Hannema’s passion is for painting landscapes, with calm water and expansive Dutch skies playing a dominant role in his paintings. He is an expert at capturing the sparkling light and intimate atmosphere of these distinctive landscapes.
He was introduced to watercolour by his father-in-law who had been painting with the medium for years. Together they often went out into nature to sketch and paint – eat some sandwiches, drink some coffee, and then make a few paintings!
It is clear that Edo finds inspiration from nature and his local Dutch landscapes, although when he started his main inspiration was from English watercolour painters: Alwyn Crawshaw and Ray Campbell Smith. They still have a big influence on Edo’s work and it is evident that their teaching laid a foundation in his painting development. To allow his watercolours to breathe, Edo combines transparent “wet” areas with expressive tones and details. Painting in a loose and relaxed style that suggests more than he really paints. His work has a realistic basis, with its own interpretation and personal touch.
Edo selects his paper according to the subject he has in mind. Nice, soft washes are on Saunders Waterford, in both Rough and Cold Pressed surfaces. Edo uses Bockingford when he wants to achieve some stronger definition with harder edges.
The brushes he uses are also pre-selected. Soft transitions can be created so beautifully with the Neptune Mottler and the Quills. For more detail he uses the Princeton Aqua-Elite series. He often uses the larger brushes, because this allows him to achieve a better result for his style. But no matter how large these Aqua-Elite are, they have a perfect point so that he can paint Edo quickly and variedly with them.
Watercolour is one of the most difficult forms of visual art to master. The quirky and unpredictable nature of the medium is a challenge, in Edo’s experienced hands it can lead to amazing results.
Edo feels fortunate to be an Ambassador from Princeton Brushes, St. Cuthberts Mill, and Maimeri Pigments.