ERIK J. VAN BERCUM

(Amsterdam, 1947) studied at the Academy of Art in Utrecht (The Netherlands) and worked as a graphic designer. After studying Social Sciences at the University of Amsterdam I worked as a psycho-therapist, a management-trainer and consultant, training-manager for several companies and became the managing-director of a training- and consultancy company.

Every five or six years I changed my job and work environment to look for a new challenge. In my spare time I continued with drawing and painting, i.e. at the ‘Gooische’ Academy of Art.
I particularly enjoy drawing and painting from life and portraiture, although I am also interested in cityscapes.

In 2003 my husband Helwart and I sold our house and left together on our sailing yacht ‘Volharding’ for the Mediterranean Sea, where we travelled around for five years. Because space on a boat is restricted, I started to paint in water-colours and so I developed my own style and technique.

Since 2008 we have lived in France (the Dordogne) and have our own workshop.