Hennie van der Vegt (1953) attended the Groningen academy Minerva from 1974-1979, lives in Amsterdam and has studios both at Ruigoord and in Amsterdam. Since 1979, his work has been exhibited regularly at home and abroad. Besides painting portraits, such as the portrait of Johan Cruijff that hangs in the Arena, commissioned by the municipality of Amsterdam, and the ‘Ruigoord Variations’, portraits of people who in one way or another play a role in the theatre of Ruigoord, he paints still-lives, animals and nudes. Both at home and abroad, he is increasingly regarded as ‘the’ painter of flowers, blossoms, and foliage. Van der Vegt’s approach has given the Flower Still Life genre a new impulse. It has acquired an unprecedented vitality and dynamism. Solo presentations: Singer Museum, Noordbrabants Museum, Amsterdam Museum, among others. Group presentations: Drents Museum, Museum het Valkhof, Museum Mohlmann.

‘Ruigoord has been my daily living and working area for 32 years now, with my studio in the horse stable, my horse, goat, chickens, the foxes, trees, meadows, bushes, flowers, birds, bees and butterflies, and the necessary art-minded people. As an artist, staying here brings me zest for life, meaning, distraction and inspiration, all with Voltaire’s last sentence in Candide in mind: “Il faut cultiver notre jardin”.’

Atelier: Ruigoord 58a
Website: www.ateliervandervegt.nl