LORENA KLOOSTERBOER | 1ST PLACE
2025 OPEN COMPETITION

Based in Antwerp, Belgium, Lorena Kloosterboer has earned international acclaim for her contemporary hyperrealist still lifes, celebrated for their brilliant interplay of color, light, shadow, texture, and reflection. Many of her paintings incorporate symbolic elements that reflect such themes as wisdom, personal growth, and awareness, and while subtle, Kloosterboer believes these themes will reach the consciousness of viewers who are receptive to them.

Kloosterboer’s work has been exhibited internationally and featured in numerous art publications. She is a founding member of the International Guild of Realism, a signature member and member at large of the International Society of Acrylic Painters, and an honorary member of the National Acrylic Painters’ Association of the U.K.

We talked to Kloosterboer about her practice and signature style.

Can you tell us about the symbolism in your piece, “Virtus Aquae VII?”

In “Virtus Aquae VII” (which means the power of water in Latin), the kingfisher triumphantly rises after diving into the water to catch its prey, demonstrating how to take the plunge into the unknown with fearless confidence. This brightly colored bird symbolizes forward momentum, letting go of the past, and moving forward into the future. The exquisite bowl represents the importance of living a simple and harmonious life, in tune with nature and the rhythms of the seasons.

The water symbolizes the source of life, purification, and renewal. Water is the quintessential representation of metamorphosis, stunningly powerful whether its form is liquid, solid, or vapor.

The image in this painting seems suspended in time and space. Why did you present the subject this way?

Like a photograph, my paintings depict a moment frozen in time. I like the idea of water stopping in this instant, so I can show its graceful advance, sinuous upward trajectory, and effloresced colors in precise detail. I call this a ‘still life in motion,’ seeking to combine the concept of the still life genre with an ever-moving element that’s hard to capture. I hope viewers find the joyful patterns of the splash captivating and uplifting.

How do you select the vases you include in your work?

The choice of artifacts for my paintings comes, I suppose, from a personal sense of aesthetics and my reverence for the workmanship and skills of other artists. I paint what I love. Many of the pieces in my still lifes are from my personal collection, the rest I either borrow or request photographic material for. The exquisite bowl in “Virtus Aquae VII” is created by the Australian ceramic artist Nicole Speakman of ClayPress Ceramics. This bowl seemed perfect for this composition. I love it!

Can you tell us about your process for this painting?

After I transfer the reference image to a panel, the painting process starts with the background, usually progressing from back to front. I use soft body acrylics — which I dilute with water and flow improver — and I basically add transparent layer upon transparent layer to cover the white of the panel. For the bird, water, and bowl I started with a grisaille of Payne’s Grey, over which I then glazed the other colors. I tend to use paint straight out of the bottle, the color mixing occurs optically through the layering of the transparent glazes. This is my preferred way to build up the colors and values. I use the same method to intensify, tone down, lighten, or darken colors and values. I use an airbrush for the subtle shadows as well as for the flawless application of an isolation coat and the final varnish.

Do you work from life, from photos, or a mix of the two?

All my still lifes are amalgams of diverse subject matter that I put together on my computer to create a new ‘reality,’ a situation that never existed except in my imagination. For the basic composition, I use photographs. Preferably I take my own photos of artifacts from my collection, in antique stores, or at friends’ homes, but for some special vases or antiques I also use photos taken by others. I can manage photographing flowers satisfactorily, but where animals are concerned I either get permission to use images from wildlife photographers, friends, or purchase stock photos.

How do you find inspiration for a new painting or series of paintings?

Finding inspiration isn’t hard for me — there’s so much beauty in the world, both man-made and natural. Based on the symbolic meaning I want to convey in a specific painting or series, I have many exciting choices. My challenge is to sort through all those ideas and select what to paint next!

Kloosterboer is represented by: Plus One Gallery in London, UK; Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts in Binghamton, NY; and the Simie Maryles Gallery in Provincetown, MA.

All images © Copyright Lorena Kloosterboer, shared with permission