Nico in Blue

by MaudBlom.com

This painting depicts my favourite clipper, the ‘ 'Nicolaas Mulerius' ’, rendered entirely in shades of blue. The water lapped gently around the sailing ship, which is fully rigged with its mainsail, jib and foresail.

For this painting, I drew inspiration from none other than my mother’s ('ons mam'). Als keramisch kunstenaar heeft 'ons mam' mij geleerd over de pigmenttechnieken die specifiek gerelateerd zijn aan de Hollandse 'Delftsblauw' style. It struck me as a lovely combination of a traditional colour palette and a traditional Dutch sailing ship. That is why only two pigments – blue and white – were used to paint the entire work.

Since 2002, the Nicolaas Mulerius has been the sailing ship of G.S.Z. Mayday, my old sailing club from Groningen. The ship, the only sailing student pub in the Netherlands, is moored in the centre of Groningen and serves as the heart of the club. It competes in regattas, is used as a training vessel for deckhands and skippers, and serves weekly as a social club for its members. In this way, it introduces young students to the sport of sailing and the ‘brown fleet’, where it is recognisable from afar by its sail emblem: the logo of the University of Groningen. By repeatedly painting, drawing, gouging and glazing this ship, I have been able to practise my techniques over the years in capturing the wind in the sails, the waves on the water, and all the details that are unique to a ship. That is why she means so much to me.

This is your chance to admire this beautiful ship from the comfort of your own home. Would you prefer to buy the original? Take a look at www.maudblom.com.