About RH Zondag
About the Artist
RH Zondag, works in mixed media with an emphasis on acrylic, watercolor, collage and print making. RH has developed a following for his expressive, colorful florals, interesting still life compositions and subtle, reflective landscapes. RH finds inspiration from the woods, fields and, most importantly the gardens that surround his home–whatever the season. Up cycling and recycling are important elements of his work. He seeks simplicity in his compositions that convey both meaning and expression. His work is featured in private and corporate collections throughout the United States and Europe.
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About his style and subject matter:
Elements of nature such as animals, trees, and flowers have served as constant motifs for paintings over the centuries. Depending on the time period, floral paintings often carried mythological, religious or medical meaning. In ancient Egyptian tradition, for instance, roses represented symbols of love while ivy embodied marital fidelity in the Middle Ages. The long tradition of flower paintings has extended to modern times.
Flower paintings flourished in the fifteenth and the sixteenth century when first painters specializing in botanical studies began to appear. Artworks from this period had high decorative properties but also the symbolic undertones that gave the paintings allegorical meanings.
The Netherlands, where members of RH Zondag’s family have roots, has a particularly important flower painting tradition, including the colorful and wild sunflowers by Van Gogh. Modern painters such as Claude Monet, who gave the world his celebrated waterlilies and Georgia O’Keefe, with her sensual floral studies, continue to delight viewers. It is in this rich tradition that RH Zondag finds inspiration for painting the flowers of his garden.
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Creating Genuine Magic
"I use my creativity to change the world in genuine and magic ways; inviting others to see the beauty in the small, subtle and often overlooked things."- RH Zondag
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