Do you also get a smile on your face when you see one of the cheerfully painted transformer houses on the street? That is precisely the intention of artists Eline Pullen (40) and Stefanie Burggraaf (34) from Zoetermeer. They painted one of the very boring, gray electricity houses in Zoetermeer, next to the town hall.
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The municipality of Zoetermeer placed a call for professional and hobby artists to provide the very tan transformer houses in our city with a colored paint layer. Eline and Stefanie registered and came up with a design. “At least those inconspicuous, boring things look cheerful now,” says Eline.
Painting on the windows
Maybe you have seen paintings by Eline and Stefanie before. They have previously also painted the window shops of children’s book shop Silvester in the Dorpsstraat and the windows of eight stores of Jongerius Bakker. The two paints together and give painting workshops. “The shop window drawings remain a few weeks that on the transformer house forever,” says Eline.
Surprise!
Eline wanted to paint outside in a larger size for some time, such as a wall. “I like it when I am surprised by an art object on the street. It puts a smile on my face. I also want to call on that happy feeling with my artworks.”
Hiking inspiration
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After the call, Eline and Stefanie sent photos of their works to the municipality. They were selected to paint the transformer house on Englandlaan.
What would come up was not that difficult for them. Eline and Stefanie walk a lot with each other through parks and nature reserves in Zoetermeer. The plants and flowers that they encounter along the way are a source of inspiration for them. “That is why we chose cheerful flowers and green details for the boring gray electricity house.”
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Ravaged
After street artist Tobias Becker Hoff explained them in his studio, the two artists started working. They first sketched the design with chalk and then they worked it out with acrylic paint. “We started with the base layer, but then it started to rain. Part of the drawing ran out and we had to stop,” says Eline. The next day they restored the layers and scoured things up. “Our work got a new paint layer and made it all with a marker. In a while it will get a protective layer that makes the artwork waterproof”
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Final grade 10
Occasionally passers -by stopped to see what Eline and Stefanie were doing. “We all got nice reactions, such as ‘that will be cheerful’ and ‘that makes me happy’. A man gave the two a 10 for the composition and a child wondered if they could just do this, and if he could help. Eline and Stefanie are happy with the result.“ The electricity houses are everywhere through the city but they are unobtrusive and boring. At least now you look at something cheerful. “
Who is the next Zoetermeerder of the week?
Do you also have a special story? Or do you know a Zoetermeerder that we really have to interview? Let us know via [email protected]. These Zoetermeerders preceded you.