Guy Gruwier

Since I was a child, I've been drawing and painting . When my parents and tutors at elementary school remarked this, they stimulated my gift and I went to several art schools. First at Ypres, the Municipal Academy, later at Antwerp (Brasschaat, municipal Academy) and later at Wetteren, the municpal academy (engraving and etching finalist courses). Despite my love for pure drawing and etching, I fell for watercolour and this has kept me alive for the past 20 years ! Watercolour paint is very fluïd and so difficult to controll that I took the challenge to specialize in this wonderfull medium. The results of this can be seen in the pictures.
I attended different international courses in watercolour, all organized by "Internationale aquarel workshops". Big names like Robert A.Wade, Greg Allen, Gerald Brommer, Alvaro Castagnet and Brian Ateyo have definitely changed my look at watercolour.
In the mean time, I continue specializing and I am teaching and guiding other students as well; mostly in Belgium but also in Australia (NSW, Grafton, Spring Arts Festival).
My work could be described as colour- and contrast full, contemporary realistic with a flair of impressionism and very balanced in composition.
My next challenges ? To pursuit more the "atmosphere" of the landscape and expression or emotion on the faces (portrait painting). So, follow my evolution and tell me whether I succeed......

"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge" (Daniël J. Boorstin)
My own point of view on producing a good piece of art : "Diligence leads towards high expectancies, only meditation and analysis leads to satisfaction".
I can perhaps say that in all those years, the constant seeking for the right balance between tone, value and contrasts has led me into an Odyssey of disillusions, successes and self consideration. Our mind is so much more powerfull than the physical restrictions we are confronted with when trying to put down an image with paint, brushes and water. Our spirit should be prolonged through our hands but oh, matter is so limited and the mind screams to get out !

A studio is a piece of heaven, where the watercolour artist tries to write his novel of personal insights, filled with meditation and contemplation. In the quest for colours and the fight with the white paper, time is on his side, because no one can bring him off his concentration or distract him from the conviction that he needs to make a new statement in a series of consistent artworks.