Nanda hoop wildlife artist

ABOUT ME

My name is Nanda Hoep. I started as an autodidact as a portraitist with pastels. After a few years I switched to oil paint.

During a long trip through South Africa I was impressed by the powerful appearance of wild animals living there in their own habitat, and the need arose to also make wildlife portraits.

So nowadays I paint oil portraits of humans and animals, took part in various exhibitions at home and abroad, and won a number of prizes at international competitions.

My work has since found its way to various (international) collections.

ABOUT MY WORK

I try to distinguish myself by painting more than just a beautiful image, but try to paint wild animals as a living being.

Because of this approach, my paintings are the result of study and research, but also of emotion.

Study and research, as my animal portraits need to be anatomically correct to optimize the realistic look and feel. Although I usually use my personal photos as a starting point, I deliberately do not copy them completely. I try to find a perfect balance between realistic elements (the image) and artistic aspects (the painting) to capture vitality.

Then comes the emotion, because after a lot of research I start to feel connected to the animal, after which I know how to paint it. That's when my heart takes over from my head. I reach the essence of the depicted animal and let it speak for itself. I try to make the essence of the depicted species tangible, for example whether it is a prey or a predator, always taking care of their dignity. Moreover, there must be an extra expression, such as expectant, threatening or, conversely, quiet and peaceful. When I paint I often feel very connected and sometimes, while painting all those little hairs, it really feels like I can caress the beautiful fur of the depicted animal.

My personal vision makes my art more expressive than classical realism or photography. It is because of the second layer in my paintings: on the one hand a beautiful, realistic painted image, on the other hand a strong sentimental value. The moment when the eye of the painted animal meets the eye of the beholder is truly magical.

You can always contact me for more details, assignments (including free work, pets), price information or a further introduction.