Keiko Tanabe - Blog: Belgian Landscapes

Les Printemps de L'aquarelle 2015 in Belgium

5/10/2015 3:50:12 AM

Celebrating the 24th year in 2015, Les Printemps de L'aquarelle will open on May 14 in Libramont, Belgium. I am deeply honored to be present for the opening ceremony as this year's guest of honor. It will be a great pleasure to be participating in this international watercolor exhibition together with the artists whose works were selected from among many submissions. I will present 7 new paintings that I created this year, including "Evening, near Grand Place, Brussels." These new paintings are landscapes and an interior scene both of Belgium and of China, which I have chosen in light of this year's [...]

La Grand-Place, Mons I, Belgian Landscape Painting

2/14/2013 12:13:12 PM

One evening during my stay in Mons, Belgium for the Aquarellades exhibition, I went out for dinner with my French artist friends. The night was still young and we were shown around town by a local person who was also a volunteer for the exhibition. In the historic center, there was a good number of people walking around us even though everything seemed to shut down at 6pm there. It was a very cold evening, the weather unsettling all day long.We came to La Grand-Place, the main square, and I was pleasantly surprised by everything looking perfect - it's beautiful, clean, [...]

Afternoon in Bruges I, Belgian Landscape Painting

2/11/2013 7:42:19 AM

The second edition of Les Aquarellades, an invitational international watercolor exhibition that took place in Mons, Belgium, came to a very successful close yesterday. I would like to take a moment to thank the organizers and volunteers who worked around the clock to take care of every single detail to produce a show that was impeccable in many aspects. My thanks also go to participants of my workshop and demo who traveled to Mons from many cities and towns of Europe near and far, and thousands of visitors to the exhibition during the two-week period. my workshop and demo in Mons, Belgium Afternoon in [...]

La Grand-Place, Brussels, Belgian Landscape Painting

1/30/2013 3:29:20 PM

Chocolate, waffles, coffee, beer, mussels, fries... Belgium has a lot to offer to satisfy a hungry traveler's appetite. But one also finds a lot there that is simply a feast for the eyes - the Grand Place in Brussels, for example. This is not as big as some of the other world's famous squares but what a beautiful square it is. To feel the grandeur of La Grand-Place, one has to be standing in the middle of it. To really understand the historical importance and power of merchants who thrived in this commercial center, one has to see and marvel at exquisite guildhalls. Although each building may be different in size, [...]

Ghent I & II, Belgian Landscape Paintings

12/7/2010 5:30:55 AM

Saint Nicholas Church in the first painting and the Belfry in the second painting are both famous landmarks of Ghent for their architectural beauty and historical significance. Soaring over the medieval skyline of the city of Ghent, the Belfry has served for centuries as a bell tower as well as a fortified watch tower. It looks just magnificent. No wonder it is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed as the Belfries of Belgium and France). The nearby Saint Nicholas church looks equally impressive. The town bells were placed in the church's central tower before the belfry was built in the 14th [...]

Antwerp, Belgium IV, Belgian Landscape Painting

12/4/2010 1:23:01 AM

Ask anyone who grew up in Japan after the 70s about a dog from Flanders, chances are they will say how sad what happened to Patrasche and Nello was. Patrasche, a working dog and Nello, an orphan boy with artistic talent, lived in a village just outside Antwerp. They died together, cold and penniless, inside the Antwerp cathedral on one Christmas Day, after Nello's dream to see Ruben's masterpieces had finally come true. "A Dog of Flanders" (read more) was a story written in the late 19th century in Europe and introduced to Japan in the beginning of the 20th century. It [...]

Antwerp, Belgium III, Belgian Landscape Painting

12/1/2010 6:26:47 AM

As the main shopping street in Antwerp, the Meir is more crowded at this time of the year. For people looking for holiday gifts and Christmas decorations, it must be fun to walk on this street, with everything creating a festive mood, all the way to a town square where a traditional Christmas market is beng held. St. Nicholas' Day (December 6) is just around the corner, and the children are waiting for Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas to bring presents to them. Antwerp, Belgium III Click here for an enlarged view. Media: Original watercolor on paperImage Size: 8.25 x 11.5 inches (21 x 29 [...]

Antwerp, Belgium II, Belgian Landscape Painting

11/29/2010 4:13:03 AM

In my last blog post, I talked about how I simplified a busy city street scene by focusing on one element (Antwerp I). While I think doing so helps a lot to make a strong painting, the very essence of a crowded cityscape is often found in its busy-ness, and you feel you just have to paint it all. Instead of having just one star player, I included many in this painting to convey the mood of a popular town square -- beautiful guild houses, people enjoying themselves, colorful awnings of cafes and bars, and again, a horse carriage. Too many cooks [...]

Antwerp, Belgium I, Belgian Landscape Painting

11/24/2010 2:56:58 AM

The Town Square of Antwerp is really an impressive place as it's surrounded by handsome tall buildings with beautiful architectural features. These are guild houses. Each has a distinct character but all are richly decorated and covered with windows in front. Then there are the City Hall, the fountain, pubs, shops, and needless to say, people who come here to walk, drink and eat, or just relax. The place has all the charms that would make any painter of city scenes want to try his hand at capturing a moment. My idea for this painting was not to depict all kinds of [...]

Namur, Belgium I & II, Belgian Landscape Paintings

11/22/2010 2:30:17 AM

It's been 14 or 15 years already since a good friend of mine from Japan married someone from Belgium. They kept inviting me to their new home in Brussels but the problem was they were always traveling for work and pleasure. One time when I was in Paris, they were home for a few days between trips - so I hopped on a train to visit. They gave me a whirlwind tour of their city and a few more of their favorites in Wallonia - that's when I had a glimpse of Namur. We didn't spend much time there but I've [...]