Oma (2017) is a painting of my grandmother, Betty Niesten (1913-2014). I painted this piece to honour the third anniversary of her death, aged 101 years old.
Over the years, she inspired my art with her beauty and her strength. Oma was the subject of my painting, Timeless (2013), which served as a testament to aging gracefully.
I also painted her as a young woman in Family (2014). These paintings became part of my Talking Portfolio series. In the 1950’s, my oma modelled for artist Wim Boissevain and the resulting portrait became a family treasure.
Tribute
A painting can be so much more than just art. A tribute piece, which memorialises a loved one, can be passed down for generations.
In 2009, I painted oma on the back of a piece of wood that I found on the street.
It was my first serious attempt at skin tone and one of few paintings where I have painted the subject in profile.
I used several images to create the composition and to show her sartorial elegance.
Inspiration
As she was usually cold, I made certain to paint a jacket on her. Previously, I have only put hats on male subjects, such as in Charles (2017) and War (2017).
Oma was quite short so I liked the idea of giving her a large hat so she appeared taller on the canvas. I wanted Oma (2017) to capture my grandmother’s spirit and femininity.
Oma was tougher than anyone I have ever met, yet she was also the most graceful. The expression on her face is one of serenity and while painting Oma (2017), I got the sense that she really was resting in peace.
I truly believe that art can help us to connect with loved ones. I hope that my portrait will honour her memory and that it shows what a special woman my grandmother was.