Hester van Wijngaarden

Hester is a self-taught artist who lives and paints in the south of France. She studied History of Art at university in Leiden and following her degree moved to France, where she settled and started to paint. She had her first exhibition in Auch, which proved successful and launched her career as a full-time artist.

Hester's primary subject matter is the depiction of animals, although she also undertakes portraiture and landscape painting. Bulls are amongst her favourite subjects and she is captivated by the power, strength and movement which these animals display. Horses and elephants are equally inspiring subjects for her. Hester's canvases attempt to convey the 'spirit' and 'energy' of these creatures, be it the formidable strength and presence of the bull, the powerful fluidity of the horse, or the weight, balance and serenity of the elephant.

Hester paints in oils and uses bold brushstrokes to evoke the form and movement of each of her subjects. She works on large canvases, averaging around four feet by five feet and describes how she has seen her paintings "grow" in scale to accommodate their subject matter. By focusing on depicting just one animal, or part of an animal and painting on such a large scale Hester is able to create a tremendous sense of impact in her work.

Characteristic of Hester's work is her use of a limited palette; she restricts herself to black, white and grey tones, as well as a few subtle 'earthy' shades and this black/white contrast makes her images incredibly strong and dramatic.

Hester has exhibited successfully for many years in France, as well as in Spain and Holland.