Speaker 1 (00:00):
Just want to say, try and, and challenge yourself. And, uh, and you will develop, and you will create,
Speaker 2 (00:08):
This is the Bold Artist Podcast.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
You have answers, and you're expressing them in your art. Your art is important, and it needs to be seen.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome. And let's get started with today's episode.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Thank you for joining us on the Bold Artist Podcast today. I am so pleased to have with us guest artist, Heico Basten, living in Sweden in, and I am interviewing from Canada. So, we've got oceans apart, and we're so pleased to have Heico on the show. He is a bold color painter who joined Bold School. He's gonna tell us a little bit about his story and what led him to Bold School, but Heico is a remarkable painter, and many of you who are in our community may already know his name from the community and being online with Heico Heico, welcome to the show. Thank you for being here.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Thank you so much, Marijanel. It's a, it's a, it's a really great honor to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yes, it's a pleasure to have you. Could we start out today's show by you telling our audience a little bit about yourself?
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yes, of course. Yes. I'm uh, like you said, I'm living in Sweden, but actually I'm born and raised in the Netherlands. And have lived my first 36 years. Now I'm living already 17 years in Sweden. Um, and, um, so I'm 54 years old now. I've I have three, I have three children of my own, um, biological father, and I've also have four bonus children. We call that. It's my wife's children. I'm not a father of them. Um, but she had already her children when we, we married. And so what they call it a bonus children. And, um, so yeah, that's, that's who I am now and where I am.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
That's, that's wonderful. So, you've been living in Sweden for 17 years. During that time, Heico, were you practicing your art? Or where were you at in your art journey through this time? Uh,
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Not at all, actually. Um, when I was living in, in the Netherlands, I was, uh, I think it was about when I was 12 years old, uh, I was starting to drawing. Just a pencil and paper and, uh, took a, a picture from a magazine, and it, when I looking back, it was always be portraits. I, um, didn't draw all paint, almost nothing else. Uh, my wife asked me last, last year in springtime, can, can you paint some tulips painting, and said, okay, can do that. But it was, I think the most boring painting I've done in my life. Uh, so already when I was a child, I was, uh, drawing portraits, and, um, I've done a couple of years and some, yeah, some people ask me a lot of people like it, my family, like it, my friends like it. So, I think, okay, it's something I, I can do.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Uh, I think, uh, it's maybe it's my talent. I, everybody has a talent., And, um, like Charla tells in her course, if you get a gift, you get a talent, don't throw it away. And that's still in my mind now. Um, but, um, yeah, was driving a couple of years, and some people ask me, can you, can you paint a garage door? Like, can you do some wall painting on the kindergarten or carnival? And, uh, I did that, I think, yes, I, I can paint everything. Just ask me, I can paint everything, a lot of confidence there. I think that, um, but, and yeah, then I was working and, uh, married, got a family, uh, working, living life and, um, yeah, moved to Sweden with my family, uh, with a lot of animals, horses, cats, and, uh, chickens and, and all, um, a lot of forrest, too, um. Too much of everything I think.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
But, um, but last year now it was October 20 to two, 2002. Um, my, my, my wife asked me, can, can you paint our daughter, my daughter? I said, yes, of course. And I already want, knew how I want to paint. I want to use colors. I don't want no longer, um, I was drawing realistic, um, drawings and, um, I, I didn't like that anymore. I don't that all the details and everything was be perfect. I just want to paint colors. I want to paint loose. And so I, I, I did it a little bit and it, it was okay, but not at the same level. I think I, there I'm, I'm at the moment. And so then I found, uh, a lot of people like it actually, so that it was like that. And, um, and I saw, uh, the free course on, on Facebook from Charla.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
So for those of you who might not know what Heico is referring, to Bold School, um, boldschool.com is Charla Maarschalk's school for learning how to paint bold color paintings. And so Heico saw what Charla was advertising and joined the school. And that was just, was that just over a year ago, Hecio?
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Yeah, it was, I think in, uh, yeah, a little bit over a year ago.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yes. And you have come a remarkably long way from where you would've started a year ago. Your portrait work is outstanding in that journey one year. But as you and I conversed before the show, there was a really special story that you shared with me, one that really touched my heart of how you actually came into the school. 'Cuz at first you, you just joined an offer, but then there was a really special story of how you were given money for Bold Color Bootcamp. And, uh, can you tell us Heico what that, what that story is?
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yes. Yeah. Like I said, I started with a free course and paint a Santa, and, and Charla wanted on her Instagram. So I think, okay. It, uh, there's something right in it. I do something right. I, I think. But so I, I, I still, uh, did the next painting, and one more. And, um, then, um, my father was living in Holland. He, um, he sent me some, some money for like a Christmas gift. And my, I, my wife told me that they, I think you should buy that course, you looking at it the whole time. So, I think you have to, to buy that. And I knew it, it was, um, it was perfect for me. I think that was exactly how I want to paint, but I, I knew how I want to paint, but I did not how to do that, exactly. So, um, then I, I, I think my father was, was always my, my biggest fan.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Um, so I bought the course and, um, yeah, I think, um, I developed myself a lot with all the techniques and information and, and, um, it was in, yeah, it was a Christmas gift and three, uh, weeks later, he, my dad passed away. He was 86 years old. But I, I think I have to go back in time a little bit also, uh, when, when I was 16 years old, I have to, to choose next education. And I would, and I want to do something with, with art, or design, or, uh, graphic, but my, uh, money, my, my, my parents couldn't afford it. Uh, it was too expensive to do that kind of school. So I haven't the possibility there. So, it was a little bit special actually yet that my, my now my dad had possibility to help me lot of years later. But, um, yes, yes,
Speaker 2 (09:11):
That is a very beautiful, full, so circle story that back in time, you couldn't afford the art education, uh, and then fast forward, your dad was able to help fund you taking Bold School courses and then passed away. Is it true that he passed away before he could see any of your finished Bold School pieces?
Speaker 1 (09:36):
No. I he seen a few ones. My, my sister, he showed him on the phone, and he always asked, my sister did Heico paint something? So, he have seen someone, but, uh, but not, uh, yeah, at all, everything after January. So 2021.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
So, it must have been a highlight of his life to see those paintings and a very special, um, you know, ending to the story. And thank you for sharing that with us, Heico. I know that when I read that in your email, as you shared parts of your life with me, I was deeply touched. And I know that, um, as Charla's friend and podcast host, I know that it's a, a deep motivation for bold school to be there, um, in these moments of people's life and growth, not just as artists, but as people. And so it's very special that your dad's story is woven into your story and woven into Bold School. And so, can you tell us a little bit of how you have always loved portraiture? You said that as a young person, you were drawing portraits, and then now, um, well you, at first you were doing a lot of realism, but wanted to break of realism and paint loose and, and more free.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
And so, uh, Bold School really attracted you that way. But now you've created this amazing body of work. And for those of you who are listening on audio and you can't see, uh, the background behind Heico on YouTube, his portraits stands out in a really remarkable way. Um, not realism, definitely bold color and loose and abstracted, but still so recognizable and, um, very refined in what you are doing, Heico. And so I'd love to hear what made you fall in love with portraiture and carry that through your whole journey, starting out from drawing and then breaking out of realism.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Yeah. I, I asked the question myself also, I, I, I don't know if I had read answer, I already found it, but yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's a portrait. It's, it's the, the, the expression, the beauty of people. We all different. Um, so many people on Earth, but we all different, but still human. Um, but I always want to catch the expression. If they're looking for a reference, uh, photo, for example, always looking, is there something in it? It has to, it has to talk to me. But I also want, when I'm painting it, it has to talk to me and, uh, not only the portrait, but the whole peice. The background portrait integrate into each other. Uh that's I try, but, um, yeah, I it's, like I said, it's always been portraits to, to get that likeness. If it's a someone, you know, um, the listeners can't see it, of course, but the side there's my daughter, and here's my dad. Um, and likeness is, I think it's really, really good. But I was already good when I was, uh, drawing as a teenager, so that that's not the, the big challenge, but to do it loose and with colors.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
And that's, uh, that's Bold School was very, was really the key for me, was really the key.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Wonderful. So, uh, as you approach your color and your palette Heico, are there any tips or tricks that you've learned along the way that were really a game changer for you?
Speaker 1 (13:34):
Yeah, like I said, if I, when I choose my, uh, reference photo or I have already in my head a bit about how I want to, how I want to end with it, uh, what it will be. And I, I follow the rules. Uh, so like, Charla, uh, told me in the course and, um, but, but sometimes it'll, it'll be different as mostly it'll be, be different than I had in my head. So, um, um, the talks about the talking about the coming in kind of flow, but sometimes it doesn't really real for me. If I'm in the flow, I just paint and painting use colors. And then I think, okay, now I have to take a look at it. And it's, it's just a mess with only, only colors, and I have to put in some naturals. So I, I spend a lot of time now for sitting and analyzing my, my paintings. And I think about every brush stroke, uh, where do I put it? What color do I choose? It's warm cold. Does it match with each other, the color circle and theory? And, um, so I'm thinking analyzing a lot. I think it's, it's the, I'm a slow painter and the health of the time is for analyzing, I think. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
So, you're a slow painter. So, does that mean that a piece would take you weeks? Or, or what does that mean for you, Heico, to really take your time on a piece?
Speaker 1 (15:10):
Yeah. People ask me how, how long does it take on to paint? I like to paint on, on big canvas, take a big brush. Um, I, I have a full-time job. It's just a hobby for me. So, I paint sometimes in the evening, sometime in the weekends if I have time. Uh, so it can, it can take, it can take a few weeks, um, to get it, but it's a one hour day, or one, one hour, one week. Maybe it it's really different and now I've changed up. And, uh, so it's, uh, very, very busy on my, on my job now. So, um, I haven't painted so much less time, but now I've just finished one painting again, and now I feel I want to paint the next, the next one. I also, I never stop painting till I think, uh, it it's okay. Um, so, um, I don't put it aside and, and start a new one. I just paint till I, it it's, it feels good for me.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
So, in your pursuit of painting loose and free, is there any sort of tip or trick that you have found in just staying loose? So, you've moved out of realism and into this bolder style, uh, what keeps your brushstrokes loose and what has really helped you break out of the box?
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Yeah, I, I, I think the most important thing is that I decide I don't want to, uh, paint, um, realistic, the small details. Um, I look also study other artists' work and how they do that. And I think that's how I want to paint. So I, I use, I don't use, I don't have, uh, hardly small brushes, uh, most, most big brushes. And, um, so I think the most important thing is I have to decide not to paint realistic and loose.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
So, you made that decision. I'm not gonna paint realistic, I'm gonna paint loose. And then it sounds like the Bo the bigger brushes are a big key to that. They just kind of keep you from going into detail.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
Yeah. I, I don't, don't, don't paint details. I, uh, I don't want it, so I, I don't and do it. And, um, I'm, I'm painting loose, but maybe I should go looser anymore. I don't know. Um, I still challenging myself and, uh, develop myself, I think. So, like I said, I don't know where it will end. I don't, like I said, I think no end. It's journey. Yeah. And there's no perfect painting. I think.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Always challenging ourselves is just such a key aspect to being an artist and even just, yeah, just pursuing the excellence that we have as artists. So, Heico, do you have a word of encouragement or some thought that you would like to leave our audience with today in conclusion of this podcast?
Speaker 1 (18:21):
Well, if I thinking about how, how I'm, how I'm working and I, I just want to say, try and, and challenge yourself and, uh, and you will develop and you will create, um, yes, it, it happens,
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Try and challenge yourself, and you will develop, and you will create. Those are such wise words. And we have enjoyed getting to know you, Heico. I know that a lot of the artists within our Bold School community are familiar with you, but those who are tuning in who may not have heard of Heico or been in the Bold School community before to see his name, uh, you can find Heico's, uh, Instagram and website links in our show notes. Do go and check out the show notes to find all the contacts and see the portfolio of this remarkable artist who has made such quick strides in, in your art, Heico. I, I find that to be the most remarkable. First the story about your dad and how full circle it was.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
How you got introduced to Bold School, which we're so glad that you're here. And then, as well, how quickly your art has moved along in progression. And, um, and so it's going to be a pleasure to see your art unfold in the future, because you're just sort of at the beginning of this journey.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yes. I think it's, it's, it's the beginning. Uh, still, I want to take that next step. Uh, so we, we will see, and, um, it was a real pleasure for me to be here.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yes, we will see, and it's going to be exciting to see. So, uh, so everyone hop in the show notes and find Heico's work and, uh, give him a followB and we will see the unfolding of this journey. And thank you for joining us all the way from Sweden today. It's such a pleasure to, uh, at, at the Bold Artist podcast to give artists' voices and hear stories of artists from around the world. Uh, it, it helps us to remember that it's a small world after all, and that as artists
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Nine hours.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Yeah. We're all on very similar journeys. And we have similar stories to tell of how we pursue excellence in our art. So, yeah. So thanks for being here. Heico, have a thank you a wonderful day. Yes.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
The same. Thank you.
