Collection 91: Janneke Brinkman-Salentijn

Although Janneke has passed retirement age at 68, she is not thinking about stopping anytime soon. “I love being in my studio so much. Just like our grandchildren, by the way, who come there to color and paint. As long as I enjoy painting, I will continue.” Janneke’s first contact with PostNL was back when she was writing columns for the magazine Margriet. “I got to create the ‘Bloemenpracht’ (Flower Splendor) stamp series at the time. I initially found that quite difficult, because a complete bouquet obviously doesn’t fit on it! I solved that by always looking for a suitable flower that also matched the season in terms of species and color. That is how I kept doing it for new assignments. PostNL then frames my work in the form of a stamp.”

Towards reality

As artistic as Janneke is, she is equally scientific in her studies. It is not without reason that she calls herself a 'botanical artist'. She is a biologist by training. “What I paint must correspond to reality. Everything has to be right: how the leaf is attached to the stem, whether the bud has the correct shape, the right number of stamens and petals. That is why I always paint from reality. I place flowers in a vase on my desk and then I start sketching. For ideas, I draw inspiration from my own garden and go to the Hortus Botanicus Leiden, just around the corner from me. Every season has its own beauty. There are so many species that I never have to worry about the source running dry. Moreover, I can vary with colors and combinations.”

Botanical tradition

Janneke is proud to work within an old botanical tradition. “The monks already made prints of flowers and medicinal plants. Those prints from the past excel in precision. I work that way too, but I always strive for artistry. This prevents it from becoming boring. By varying compositions, lighting, and perspective, I aim for an exciting whole. My material is always watercolor: its watery transparency makes it best suited for accurately depicting the delicacy and vulnerability of flowers, butterflies, or insects. Nature deserves to be drawn as beautifully as possible.” A retrospective exhibition of paintings and drawings by Janneke Brinkman-Salentijn is on view at Slot Zeist until June 11, 2017. This article is from Collect no. 91.