BORN AN Artist By Jay McCarthy-Rivero
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solation. A lack of ideas. Difficulty staying motivated. These aspects are the traits that come with being an artist, which arguably turn away many individuals from participating in such a profession.
Philippe de Kraan couldn’t be any more familiar with these situations, as he walked into our conference room, carrying some sheets of paper and demonstrating a willingness to be candid in this interview. Noticing my casual t-shirt and shorts (appropriate for the warm weather on that day), he commented; “You’ve got the right idea wearing that today,” he smiled. “I’m only wearing a jacket so I can carry my phone and other things in it.” This brief moment indicated to me the character of Philippe; an intellectual whose views and ideas are highly logical. These characteristics of his personality would be exhibited more prevalently throughout our interview.
E ssence
54 | PENINSULA
February 2019
Sitting ourselves down into the comfortable leather chairs that occupied our conference room, Philippe asked with curiosity; “Have you got some questions to ask me?” Upon replying with a definite yes, he gladly replied; “That’s good, you’ve come well prepared!” As I set up my iPad to display my compiled questions to ask the artist, he took note of the secondary keyboard I had attached to it, asking; “What have you got there? That’s cool; it looks like a big phone.” Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Philippe says he was “Born an artist, never any good at school.” “In Europe you are born into art, as the art culture over there is so different to here.” Philippe’s enduring commitment to art is evident when you inspect the numbers; he has created 400 paintings in his lifetime and held 48 solo art exhibitions premiering his personal masterpieces.