Born in Utrecht, the Netherlands, in 1972, Astrid has had an interest in painting and drawing for as long as she can remember. She graduated from the Utrecht School of Art with a BA in painting in 1991 and, after moving to Edinburgh in 2003, completed a postgraduate painting course at Leith School of Art.
Initially she was inspired by the architecture, textures and shapes of the city and harbours in her native country, but as her work evolved she found that she was inspired by everyday objects with interesting shapes and textures. Her passion became for painting still life and her work is now well-known and much sought after.
The objects she paints evoke memories of her childhood, family or travels but sometimes have an interesting history of their own.
Astrid’s work is known for its wonderful colour vibrancy, which she achieves by mixing gesso and glue with pure mill-ground pigments, such as lapis lazuli. This technique enables her to scratch into the paint surface, creating fascinating and distinctive textures. She also uses collage, incorporating antique newspapers into her paintings. These often have a historical or personal significance for her.
Now living in North Berwick and working from her studio there, Astrid continues to be influenced by the coast and sea and references to these can be seen frequently in her work.
Astrid has exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy and with the Scottish Society of Artists. Her work is shown by galleries both in the UK and abroad.