Art arising from presence
BIO
Born and raised in a small Dutch town, childhood seemed like an ongoing adventure, playing in the fields and roaming the woods, a happy existence with family and friends.
At age 15 my world was shaken by my father's death. This experience of the fleetingness of the human form turned out to be the beginning of my spiritual quest.
I started to read everything about "the meaning of life" I could bring within my reach. The library and books became an ally in my thirst for answers.
It took me on a journey from the European medieval mystics to the yogis and holy men of India.
In my early twenties I came across a book by the Indian sage Ramana Maharshi, in which he asked the famous question "Who Am I" ? I instantly knew this was my road to follow. Awakening and enlightenment, that was all I was interested in
How it all started
In the middle of a cold, bleak winter, I was walking along the seafront with my partner Lorinne.
As I passed by a thrift store, an old framed print of an ancient sailing boat cutting through the rough seas caught my eye.
For some reason, I was mesmerized by this image. I entered the store, and a few minutes later, I was carrying the picture home with me.
Once home, I could not keep my eyes off the print.
I felt that “I was the ship” and despite the inner turmoil (the rough seas) the ship – I – was “on course” to it’s destination.
1989 would bring an unmistakable presence of Guidance into my life. During that year I experienced a sequence of synchronousvevents which impacted my life forever.
Just before Christmas I journeyed to England for a holiday. On a dark and rainy Christmas Eve, through a “series of coincidences I arrived in the little Somerset town of Glastonbury, the ancient “Isle of Avalon”. There I found a warm shelter in the beautiful B & B “The Unicorn”, now unfortunately no longer in existence.
Next morning on Christmas day I met a friend of the B & B’s owner, the at that time unknown Eckhart Tolle. There was an instant connectedness which set the stage for a long lasting friendship, which would change and give direction to the course of my life.
A short while later, I experienced a restless sleep, waking dreaming, the whole night through. Colours upon colours – I dreamt only of colours.
As I woke up in the morning and opened my eyes hundreds of multi images filled the room in front of me! I looked in awe, overwhelmed by the display of all those colourful images.
I got up, took pencil and paper and began to draw. Drawing after drawing. Shortly thereafter, I got canvas and paint and started the paintings you see today.
The stream of pictures still continues, they are like living entities, waiting in line to be shown.
© 2016 WillemJanssenArt.