About Ton van Geelen
Ton van Geelen paints what he loves, what fascinates him. He is attracted by original countries, colourful people, feelings arising from music and sensuality, untouched cultures and virginal landscapes. As an artist he usually does not choose for the easiest way. For him painting means a long fermentation process of personal experiences, feelings and impressions of travels, which in time will transform into images. More often the paintings refer to concrete images and subjects.
The quality of Ton’s work lies in his special instinct to catch light.
Mountains
Ton was born on Curaçao, one of the islands in the Caribbean. The population in the Caribbean is a mixture of various races, having their roots in the Negroid and Indian ancestors. His multicultural background, combined with his fascination for mountainous areas ( mostly Switzerland and Norway) and music present a surprising and confronting picture, both in form and colour.
Grindelwald
In June 1991 after his CIBAP exam, Ton traveled with his father to Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps. "It was winter, spring and summer at the same time. It fascinated him. In one week we had temperature differences of 25 degrees with snow, sun, rain and fog. I wanted to keep with me what I saw.
Back at home I couldn't find the words, so I made paintings and drawings of those impressions. It was the beginning of my artistic way of life.
Art Collection
In 2001, a painting of Ton included in an edition of "The World Art Collection," and in 2003 he had a Dutch scoop with paintings and photoreports, under the name "The dj Johan Gielen Art Collection", about topdj's and the Dutch dance scene. It was broadcasted by TMF and MTV-television.