Miriam Slaats (1958)
She is a beautiful and charming woman with a hearty smile. On a sunny summer day in 2008, Miriam Slaats celebrates her 50th anniversary and also her 25th artists anniversary in
an attractive location in Vught. The dress code is 'absolute white', which the hundreds of guests comply with. Everyone, except Rudi Fuchs, art historian and former museum director,
who was dressed entirely in black, and receives the first book 'My table of happiness' (monograph on the artist). The impressive reference book (48,5 x 35,5 cm) with its original
layout betrays immediately Slaats' education as a graphic and advertising designer at the Academy of Fine Arts in Maastricht.
Artist Miriam Slaats has remained faithful to abstract compositions, which she often gives a figurative element. In the beginning it is a flower, a butterfly, a bird, or a lace
closure, after years she switches on the collage technique and you see surprisingly a Mona Lisa, a patch of text, an Italian fresco or a piece of lace on the canvas.
Her paintings are initially excited colorful, later shows her palette mostly mild, earthy tones with accents in silver and gold. More recently dominate under the motto 'less is more'
sober whites, which she paints in several layers. Each work has a title. 'Words and paint are the same for me', said Miriam in her monograph. Her feeling is the guiding principle
and thus her character is set in her work: imaginative, poetic, optimistic, full of humor, but also profound and sometimes mischievous.
Since the early nineties we follow Miriam, who exhibits in galleries in the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain. Very special was the duo exhibition at 'The Gallery' in The Hague
with her brother Geert Slaats, shoe designer: Geert with special, yet portable design shoes and Miriam with paintings, on which the shoe motif is incorporated.
This expressive, early work from 1992 exudes power and imagination. You can not avoid it; the painting is just there and does not need to conquer its place.
The colours and shapes continue to take our fantasy in tow.
Also view:
www.miriamslaats.com
