H A N S   V A N   M O E R K E R K E N
 

               
       Waiting for the Wind                                                                               Summer Reflections
              24" x  36"                                                                                                   12" x  16"    

              
 The River at Dusk                                              Carmel River II                                                       Low Tide   
        18" x  24"                                                             9" x  12"                                                           18" x  24"

                  
 The Carmel River                                             Monterey Mist                                                  Monterey Pier
      13" x  18"                                                         18" x  24"                                                            20" x  30"

"Hans van Moerkerken was born in Hilversum, Holland.  At the age of four he was photographed behind an easel and Hans later realized that this photograph would become a prophetic symbol for his becoming an artist and oil painter.

After completing grade school, young Hans took the required exam for the art-academy and was told that he did not have the talent or the motivation to become an artist. Luckily, Hans listened to his "inner voice" and he never stopped pursuing his carreer as an oil painter.

For many years he studied the techniques of the 17th and 19th Century artists such as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Schelfhout and Roelofs. Impressionist art also became subject of intense study and during those learning years Hans earned his living in art restoration.

For practice and study Hans copied many of the old Masters.  In fact, some of his paintings were so good that they showed up at auctions, touted as original works by 19th century artists.

Hans moved to Weesp on the river Vecht, near Amsterdam.  The Vecht is where, in the past, artists of The Hague School found their inspiration as well as in Barbizon.  His technique and feeling of colors has made him one of the most important contemporary landscape artists of the Netherlands.

A number of successful painters have studied under Hans: Dirk de Vries, Wouter van Soest, Fritz Goosen and Simon Balyon.

His first exposition was held in Arnhem in 1983 and Hans has since had many more expositions including some in the United States. Hans' work can be found in many important collections, such as the one of the president of National Geographic.

The Carmel Art Festival 2000 honored Hans with two awards: 2nd place in the Plein Air Painting Contest and first place "Artist's Choise" for his painting titled," Monterey Harbor".
Another award was won in Holland in 2000: first place in the Blaricum Plein Air contest. Both events were initiated by van Moerkerken."
Biography supplied by the Artist

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