Erik Renssen is a prolific artist. His oeuvre comprises paintings, drawings, sculptures and graphic works. Working primarily in the figurative tradition, the imagery is never one of pure naturalism. There is always a level of abstraction. With great virtuosity he paints a world where both vibrant and subdued colours coexiest in harmony. Renssen is inspired by the world that surrounds him: his wife and children, the intimacy of the studio, the pleasure of a dinner party with good friends, but above all by his fervent admiration of Pablo Picasso: “He’s the greatest and my daily inspiration. I write my own story on the canvas before me, using the wonderful visual language Picasso gave to us”. Renssen desires to interpret and transform everyday objects, landscapes, and people into new subjects that breathe a life of their own, create a conversation between the past and present and act as an homage to master painters who came before him.
The range of subjects is classical: portrait, still-life, the reclining nude and the occasional landscape. Inspired by Picasso’s restless and inventive nature along with his tendency to explore various mediums, styles, and subjects, Renssen also enjoys the freedom to develop new ideas from his own life and experiences.
His work can been seen at his artist gallery, Renssen Art Gallery, in the Spiegelkwartier of Amsterdam, at Guarisco Gallery in Washington, D.C. and at selected art fairs like Art Expo New York and Red Dot Miami held annually.
