Daniel Sloots from Hoogeveen is working hard as an artist. His formula for success? “I always like a little craziness. That’s kind of become my thing. That it’s a little naughty, and a little crazy. I think that’s great, I go all out on it.”
Sloots (30) makes a kind of collage art. “Disney-like things with a creative or modern twist,” he explains. “Like a Mickey Mouse with Nikes on.” He has also edited many objects with a marker, such as vases, bathtubs and even a Volkswagen Beetle. “And I’ve been working a lot with 3D objects recently.”
“I have been very creative from an early age,” continues Sloots. “I was never really good at school, and was always drawing in the books. Eventually the ball started rolling and I now earn my money with it.”
On Instagram, entrepreneur and influencer Bas Smit, who has more than 800,000 followers on the social network, regularly posts about his ‘favorite artist’. He has been doing this since Sloots gave him a work of art of him and his daughters. “I once again had a crazy idea, and sometimes you just have to let your creativity run wild. I did that then, and Bas absolutely loved it.”
It turned out to be a good move by Sloots, because his Insta inbox has been overflowing with requests ever since. “The ball really started to roll, also thanks to him.”
Sloots is not exactly sure how it is possible that so much color, creativity and craziness is hidden in such a sober Drent. “It’s just in my blood, I guess.” The artist can be described as a man full of contrasts. Not only when it comes to his appearance, or his art. In daily life, for example, he works at Vepa, a company that trades in office supplies.
“Simply put, I just drive the forklift. And I help with the packing department, with assembly and loading trucks. That is quite different,” says Sloots. “But it’s also nice to be busy with something else for a while.”
