Field Review | Artist Interview Series
In conversation with
Els Devrieze
Els Devrieze (1986) is a Belgian contemporary abstract artist born in Bruges and based in the Antwerp region. Originaly trained fine art with a speciallisation photography, her practice has evolved into painting, where she explores the relationship between material, light and perception. Through layered surfaces and a process of reduction, she creates works that invite slow looking and open interpretation. Her work has been exhibited in Belgium and is held in private collections.
From:
Belgium
Artist Statement
Els Devrieze's practice explores the relationship between material, light and perception. Rooted in a photographic way of seeing, her paintings emerge through a slow process of layering, reduction and attentive observation. Rather than depicting recognisable subjects, they create spaces where meaning unfolds through the experience of looking.
Her work investigates the delicate balance between reflection and absorption, presence and absence, stillness and movement. As light shifts and the viewer changes position, the paintings subtly transform, revealing new relationships within their surfaces. The image is never fixed; it evolves through changing conditions and the viewer's attention.
Material plays a central role in her practice. Every layer records traces of what has been added, concealed, removed or revealed. Rather than aiming for representation, Devrieze seeks to reduce each painting to its essential presence, allowing the surface itself to become the subject. This process of reduction is guided as much by intuition as by careful observation.
Her current research extends beyond the painted surface into the origin of the materials themselves. Through experiments with self-made pigments and traditional oil paint, she investigates how the creative process can begin long before the first mark is made. This growing interest reflects both a desire for a deeper connection with material and a more sustainable approach to painting.
Through a restrained visual language, Devrieze invites viewers to slow down and engage in an act of attentive looking, where perception itself becomes part of the artwork.
Tell us about yourself and your artistic background.
I grew up in a family of musicians, but I often joke that I didn't inherit a single musical bone. As a child, my parents tried music lessons and ballet, but after many tears it became clear that neither was for me. Eventually, my mother enrolled me in the local art academy when I was around seven years old. Looking back, that decision changed everything. It was there that I discovered not only my love for making, but also a place where I felt completely at home.
After my studies, I initially worked as a photographer. Photography became the foundation of the way I still look at the world today. It taught me to observe carefully, to appreciate light, composition and timing, and to understand that what is left out of an image can be just as important as what is included.
Over the years I explored many different techniques and media. For a long time I was searching for my own artistic voice. That period of experimentation was essential because it allowed me to discover what truly belonged to me. Today, I finally feel that I have found a clear direction. My work centres on material, light and perception, and every new series allows me to investigate those themes more deeply.
I still see myself as someone who keeps learning. Curiosity has always been one of the driving forces behind my practice, and I hope it always will be.
How would you describe your artistic practice?
My practice is driven by curiosity and centred on working in series. and centred on working in series. Every new body of work begins with a long period of reflection, experimentation and small studies. Rather than starting with a fixed image in mind, I gradually define a conceptual framework that allows the work to evolve naturally.
In the studio, painting becomes a dialogue between intention and material. I build up surfaces through layering, covering, scraping back and reducing. Each decision influences the next, and the paintings slowly reveal their own direction. Instead of forcing an outcome, I pay close attention to what the work requires, allowing intuition and critical observation to guide the process together.
I usually work on several paintings simultaneously. This allows ideas, discoveries and questions to move between the works, creating a dialogue within the series rather than treating each painting as an isolated object.
At the moment, my practice is expanding beyond the painted surface itself. I am researching traditional oil paint-making and natural pigments, driven by a desire to understand my materials more deeply and to develop a more sustainable way of working.
I see every series as an investigation. Each painting forms part of a larger conversation rather than a standalone conclusion. For me, the value of painting lies not in providing answers, but in creating space for attentive looking, curiosity and continued exploration.
What themes or ideas are most important in your work?
At the core of my work is an interest in perception, but every series begins with something much more personal. My paintings always originate from deeply felt emotional experiences. Rather than expressing those emotions directly, I transform them into material, light and silence, allowing personal experiences to evolve into a visual language that remains open to interpretation.
Light plays a central role in this exploration. I am less interested in light as illumination than in its ability to reveal, conceal and transform. A painting changes throughout the day, depending on its surroundings and the position of the viewer. That continuous transformation is not incidental—it is an essential part of the work itself.
Material is equally important. Every layer records traces of decisions, revisions and time. Through building, concealing and reducing, I search for an image that feels both quiet and emotionally resonant. I see the painted surface as a place where presence and absence exist simultaneously, where what has been removed can be just as meaningful as what remains visible.
More recently, my research has become increasingly focused on the relationship between reflection and absorption, both as physical properties of light and as metaphors for the way we perceive and experience the world. At the same time, I am investigating traditional oil paint-making and natural pigments, seeking a deeper understanding of my materials and a more conscious, sustainable approach to painting.
Ultimately, my work is an invitation to slow down. In a world that often demands speed and instant interpretation, I hope to create paintings that reward sustained attention. Rather than offering answers, they create space for contemplation, allowing each viewer to bring their own memories, emotions and perceptions into the experience of the work.
For me, painting is a way of giving form to what cannot be fully expressed in words.
What inspires your creative process?
Inspiration rarely comes from one specific source. It grows out of everyday life, conversations, encounters, memories, moments of silence, or something I witness that continues to resonate long after it has happened. I am especially drawn to experiences that carry an emotional weight, even if they seem ordinary at first glance.
Nature is another constant source of inspiration, particularly the sea. I am fascinated by its ever-changing character, the way it reflects and absorbs light, and its ability to embody both stillness and immense power. These qualities often find their way into my paintings, not as literal representations but as sensations or atmospheres.
I never begin by thinking, "I want to paint this." Instead, experiences need time to settle. Some ideas remain with me for months, sometimes even years, before they gradually reveal the beginning of a new series. During that time, I reflect, read, make notes and small studies, allowing the work to develop naturally rather than forcing it.
For me, inspiration is less about searching for ideas than about paying close attention. The more deeply I observe the world around me and my own emotional response to it, the more I discover. Painting becomes a way of giving form to experiences that cannot be fully expressed in words, transforming them into material, light and silence.
Can you tell us about a recent artwork or project?
One of my most significant recent projects is Residual Tension, a series that explores the traces left behind by lived experiences and the emotional tension they continue to carry. Rather than depicting specific events or personal narratives, the paintings investigate what remains after an experience has passed—the quiet residue that continues to shape us, often long after the moment itself has faded.
The series developed over an extended period through a process of layering, reduction and careful observation. Each painting gradually emerged by adding, concealing and removing paint until only what felt essential remained. The process was as important as the final image, with every surface carrying the history of its own making.
Creating Residual Tension marked an important turning point in my artistic development. Although I had worked in series before, this was the first one that evolved naturally rather than feeling constructed. Instead of trying to fit my work into a predetermined concept, the series grew organically from my process and the questions that genuinely occupied me. It was the moment I realised I had found a visual language that truly reflected my way of thinking and working.
Looking back, I now see Residual Tension as both a conclusion and a beginning. It brought together years of searching while opening the door to the questions that continue to shape my current body of work, Sediments of Light. More than a collection of individual paintings, it confirmed the importance of thinking in series, allowing each work to deepen and strengthen the meaning of the others.
What challenges have influenced your development as an artist?
One of the greatest challenges in my development as an artist has been finding the time and space to build a serious artistic practice alongside everyday life. I have a full-time job, a young daughter and a family, so my time in the studio is limited. Rather than seeing this as a limitation, it has taught me to work with intention. Every hour I spend painting matters, and I have become very selective about where I invest my creative energy.
An even greater challenge came a few years ago, following IVF treatment. I experienced a severe hormonal imbalance that left me with almost no energy. There was a period when I could barely remain upright for more than a couple of hours at a time. It was an incredibly difficult experience, made even harder by the long search for answers and by feeling that my concerns were often dismissed. Eventually, after years of searching and refusing to give up, I found an approach that helped me regain my health.
Looking back, I realise that those years fundamentally changed me as both a person and an artist. When you are in survival mode, there is little room left for creativity. For a long time, making art felt like something that belonged to another life. Only when I was finally able to move from surviving back to truly living did I rediscover the mental and emotional space to create again.
That experience also changed my relationship with painting. I no longer create because I feel I should; I create because there is a genuine need to explore something that matters deeply to me. Recovering taught me not to take the ability to create for granted. Even today, entering my studio feels like a privilege. It has given my practice a deep sense of purpose and gratitude that I don't think I would have found otherwise, and that awareness continues to shape every painting I make.
What role does art play in your life today?
Art has become an essential part of my life. It is not simply something I do; it is how I make sense of the world around me and of my own experiences. Painting helps me process emotions, ask questions and give form to thoughts that are often difficult to express in words.
As an introvert, painting has also become my way of connecting with the outside world. It allows me to communicate without having to explain everything directly. Once a painting leaves my studio, it begins a dialogue with others, and I find it deeply rewarding that each viewer brings their own memories, emotions and interpretations to the work.
Art also represents my future. I hope to continue building a life in which my artistic practice can grow, both in depth and in reach. I don't see painting as something separate from who I am—it has become an essential part of my identity.
After everything I have experienced over the past few years, I no longer take the opportunity to create for granted. Every day I can step into my studio feels like a privilege. Painting has given me a voice that I sometimes struggle to find in everyday life. It reminds me that even the most personal experiences can be transformed into something that resonates with others, and that is what continues to inspire me to keep painting.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently developing a new body of work titled Sediments of Light. While my previous series, Residual Tension, emerged from an exploration of emotional traces and what remains after moments of inner tension, this new project shifts its focus towards the behaviour of light itself.
What interests me is not the traditional contrast between light and darkness, but the relationship between reflection and absorption. I am investigating how painted surfaces respond to changing light and how perception changes as the viewer moves around the work. In that sense, the paintings are never entirely fixed, they continue to evolve through the conditions in which they are experienced.
The project is developing through two interconnected bodies of work: Luz and Oscuridad. Rather than representing opposites, they explore complementary ways in which light exists. Luz investigates reflective surfaces that catch and release light, while Oscuridad focuses on absorption, where darkness becomes an active presence rather than the absence of light. Together, they examine how light shapes our perception and emotional experience of a painting.
The series is still in its early stages, which makes it an exciting place to work from. Instead of searching for definitive answers, I allow each painting to raise new questions that influence the next. Every work becomes part of an ongoing investigation into material, perception and the emotional resonance of light.
sustainable approach to painting.
Although the project is still evolving, I already feel it is opening questions that may shape my practice for years to come.
What are your future goals as an artist?
In the near future, I am very much looking forward to my residency in Florence. I see it as an opportunity to step away from my daily routine, immerse myself fully in my practice and continue developing the ideas behind Sediments of Light. I believe that periods of focused research and reflection are essential for artistic growth.
Another important goal is to find gallery representation that genuinely aligns with my work and values. I am not looking for representation for its own sake, but for long-term collaborations with people who understand my practice and want to help build a sustainable career together.
Looking further ahead, my ambition is to build a life in which I can dedicate myself to painting full-time. My goal is not to chase success or fame, but to build a sustainable artistic practice.. My goal is much simpler: to earn a comfortable living through my work while continuing to grow as an artist, remaining curious and committed to developing my practice.
Above all, I hope to keep making work that feels honest. As long as I continue asking meaningful questions and creating paintings that invite people to slow down and look differently, I feel I am moving in the right direction.
Where can readers follow your work?
Readers can follow my work through my website, where I share my latest projects, exhibitions and portfolio. I also regularly post updates and behind-the-scenes insights on Instagram. For those who would like a more personal connection to my practice, I share occasional news and studio updates through my mailing list.
Website: www.elsdevrieze.com
Instagram: @elsdevrieze
