Following her studies at the Wackersacademie in Amsterdam, Janneke Stilma began to use a combination of figurative and non-figurative techniques all within the same painting. The academy had focused on painting from observation, and had left Stilma with a yearning to explore abstract. For a long time her work consisted mainly of non-figurative scenes in warm earthy shades where the object is always identifiable .
Figurative art with an emphasis on still life has grown in relevance for Stilma. This often involves detailed "Delftsblauwe" sockets, dishes and Chinese cups which are most of the time combined with silver objects, fruit or flowers in her paintings.
Stilma’s work cannot be considered wholly traditional as she continues to emphasis and enlarge the object to such a degree that they are outside proportions and the background remains non-figurative.
She likes to situate her still life in a surrounding of one or more fixed color solids, as a result of which, the observer is usually left with a pleasant and relaxed feeling. Occasionally a still life is situated on a table or other such surface which appears to float within the scene. The play of light and color without showing where the table is standing will create a feeling of estrangement.
It stays a challenge to situate the still live in such a way that it creates a harmonious view within a non figurative background.
Stilma’s work does not fall into one set discipline of art, the best way of describing it is as "Classic still life within a contemporary setting "
Janneke Stilma lives and works in Amstelveen, where she also gives several painting classes.
