From the 1970s to 2016, de Kraan has held 48 solo art exhibitions across Europe and in Australia, where he lives today. In Europe, de Kraan was young and determined, driven by his popularity with the press at every exhibition thoughtout Holland, especially Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In the South of Holland, he also managed two art galleries; one (Vught N.B.) showing his own works exclusively, that being quite a novelty for an artist. Other countries such as Germany, Italy, Austria and France were more sparing of their praise than his homeland, although he did work on commissioned portraits around Europe.
The work de Kraan initially found most fulfilling was the brush and ink studies he did of ordinary people in the street (beggars, fishermen, children, the elderly). De Kraan used most of these character studies for his many solo exhibitions around Europe.
Over the years, expressionism took precedence over his brush and ink art works, giving de Kraan the freedom to explore a different dimension in art and to express a will to exaggerate realism using oils or water colours in an array of stimulating shapes and styles, always involving the human form. This new venture has become the main output of his self-named Publishing Company and Website, displaying the artist’s every major work, including his unique commentary about art in Australia.
- Writers:
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- Date written:
- 2015
- Last updated:
- 2016
