charcoal
'Every time I talk about charcoal my enthusiasm comes up. Charcoal shows that it once was a little branch, with the core of the wood visible in this drawing material. While drawing that branch becomes soon shorter, falls apart and leaves a black line or field behind. Something new arises with a coarse-grained structure, that can be wiped out even after good fixation. Charcoal has the strength of black and the vulnerability in itself. That is what I'm looking for in the expression of my artwork: being strong and vulnerable at the same time. (from the book charcoal, jan 2020, L. Sloots, only dutch)
When I ran out of the charcoalpigment , found in a archaeological excavation and base of my paint, I bought new charcoal. But for me it was to compact, without the nuances I was used to. I read how charcoal of various types of wood was fired in the 15th century. There started a new project.
With that homemade charcoal I started new drawings in 2016: not the world outside was my inspiration, but the world inside, my inner landscape. Drawings were sometimes created with prints of my hands as prints of life. In silent concentration I reacted to what arose from my own movements, from body, hand and eye; were theme's such as transience, farewell and space played a role.