Nude with red hat (2004) Painting by Cornelis Heilig (Cornelus)

Cornelus was born in January 31, 1940, in Velsen, The Netherlands.
In 1958, after secondary education, he started as a lay-out man with publishers “De Spaarnestad”, Haarlem.
During that period he followed evening courses for illustration at the “Kunstnijverheidschool”, Amsterdam (the present Rietveld
Academie). One of his teachers there was Piet Klaasse.
Cornelus evolved as an illustrator, designer and art director at several big advertising agencies. He worked in advertising for about fourty years of which some thirty years as a free-lance.
Starting in 1960, for several years, he followed life drawing lessons, given by Cor Dik, at the “Normaalschool”, Amsterdam. Cor Dik, who was his mentor for a long time, urged him to paint. From that period date some self portraits and portraits of his wife. Cornelus is predominantly autodidact.
He was a member of La Maison des Artistes, Paris, during his period living in France from 2002-2021.

• Nationality: NETHERLANDS
• Date of birth : 1940
• Artistic domains: Works by professional artists,
• Groups: Professional Artist Contemporary Dutch Artists