Charlotte Molenkamp

Charlotte Molenkamp (Tilburg, 1955) studied at the St. Joost Academy in Breda and later attended the Art Academy in her hometown of Tilburg. She is the daughter of the renowned painter Nico Molenkamp. Growing up on "Koningshoeven," she was raised in an environment deeply focused on visual arts, surrounded by nature, silence, and the changing seasons. Charlotte Molenkamp primarily creates gouaches and oil paintings. She says, "I’m actually left-handed, but I’ve learned to use my right hand as well. It no longer feels like an effort. I work with both hands simultaneously, because painting is my primary activity; the story follows naturally. In my right hand, I hold a palette knife, and in my left, a brush—usually a flat, broad brush, or ‘spalter.’ I’m constantly deconstructing and reconstructing. Someone once asked if I ever make preliminary studies. I replied that all the preliminary work is underneath the layers!" Her work is sometimes abstract and other times on the edge of figurative, recently featuring human figures more frequently, sketched loosely yet always blending with the background of the canvas. Molenkamp’s work is intense, dynamic, and vibrant, aimed at conveying strong emotions through the most direct route. Her canvases are often large in scale, which amplifies their impact. Amidst all the colorful explosions of paint, however, a sense of balance and harmony is always maintained. The initial powerful impression gradually reveals a deeper sense of cohesion and order to the viewer. Charlotte Molenkamp’s work is included in numerous significant collections, including that of the Dutch Royal Family.