Featured Artist: Nanda Bussers

“Special shapes and colours, abstract and sometimes mysterious images which blend to form new figures. A fascination for organic dynamics in natural images. Distinguished by fading, universal layers. That’s what I feel and see, and that’s what I photograph. The creation of an image that you keep looking at, and in which you can keep discovering new meanings. A visualization of inspiration, an expression of feeling, intriguing by empathizing and dreaming away. But also to find comfort, warmth, and a bright spot like a candle in the dark. Transience as symbolism is often a recurring theme in my photo art.” Nanda Bussers

My name is Nanda Bussers and I was born in the Netherlands. From early on I liked being creative. I can remember very well (for example) drawing and painting with my aunt who was an artist with her own gallery and studio. When I was 6 years old, I got a camera from that same uncle and aunt to try. I was really fascinated and amazed by this alternative way of looking at the world. From that time on my parents’ four cats were willing photography victims. In high school, I took classes in (among others) drawing and art history.

After high school, I got the opportunity to visit Canada. This was my first time flying. I stayed for about 6 weeks with a very warm and loving host family. It was a life-changing experience. After more than 20 years we still keep in touch. Since then I’ve travelled around the world as much as possible. For example backpacking in Australia, New Zealand, South America, and Asia as well as trips to Mongolia, Seychelles, and the Southern part of Africa. One of my dreams is to discover all the countries of the world.

I graduated from University in 2004 in Human Resource Management and I started working in big business companies and hospitals. Even though creativity and art are in my blood, I didn’t do anything with them until 2013. When my parents passed away within a few years of each other, I went through the most difficult time of my life. During this time I rediscovered photography. Taking photos helped me escape from reality and changed my focus somewhat. I began going into the fields, in order to capture the beauty of nature. Especially those little things that other people often pass by so quickly. Nature is my biggest source of inspiration.

In 2017 I took a photography course to develop my own photographic style. During that course, I was inspired by a poem by Paolo Coelho about the Circle of Life. I created a series of 6 images which are characterized by a dreamy and mysterious atmosphere. The image with the pink colours was one of the most important depictions of that year, and also the beginning of my more poetic, symbolic, and abstract photos. Since then life and death also become a recurring theme in my photo art.

An image is successful for me when there is a certain depth and universal layer in it. You keep looking at the image and discover new things all the time. Just like a fantasy world in which you can continue to dream away and fantasize. Presenting a truthful representation of reality is not what I strive for. For me, photography is all about expressing a certain feeling. In the sense that the observation transcends reality to a point where it becomes solely an expression. Usually, you don’t get to see the actual subjects I photograph but they always come from the natural world. In particular, I have a fascination for water and ice because of their continuous transformation. Just like life, it’s always moving and taking on different shapes and colours.

My latest project Stardust is about a journey through time and space. I have just finished this project after lovingly working on it for more than a year. The result is a photographic poem of 38 abstract images that allows you to feel emotions inside. You will find some images of this project in this interview. My work has been featured in some International Art guides and Magazines, I have also exhibited my work at Art Fairs, in Health Centers and offices. Abstract art can bring inspiration, improve performance, and physical well-being and unlock creativity.

With my images, I hope to give comfort and warmth in the more difficult times, as well as to create a positive moment (of time) in the person’s life. I realized that sometimes it’s very difficult to find a suitable gift for certain moments of life when you want to let somebody know you are thinking about them. A comforting gift for illness, Covid-19, loneliness, surgery or a burn-out, a separation, miscarriage, or loss of a loved one. There are so many moments where you can let your heart speak. With this in mind, I started my company Comfort Art (in Dutch: Troostkunst) and that’s the reason I also developed candles and postcards with my own images. In the upcoming week, I will be starting with a new photo project. I hope to create a photo series about Healing Art that can be used in hospitals, for example.

more. www.nandabussers.com