The Polder-Summer

"God created the World, but the Dutch created Holland". The English are fond of saying this and rightly so. A Polder is land pumped out of a lake. Here in Noorden we call the whole bit behind our house where I painted this landscape "The Polder". About 200 years ago this was all water= the Nieuwkoopse Plassen. About 400 years ago the dike system in N. Holland enclosed the larger portion from Haarlem to here creating land for farmers and gaining turf for fuel. Pumping out water and creating islands has resulted in a beautiful nature reserve where I love to paint. This particular morning the sky was moving fast and our two geese where galivanting in the right place. The old praam was my water-studio for many years. "She" is retired and festooned with bright pink Pinkster flowers in the late spring.

( Oil Painting on canvas, 60 X 80 cm. €1,850. incl. frame)