The Art
Life, happiness and beauty are the internally related themes that arc Verstraten’s universe, the philosophical backdrop for his works of art, which we use to understand his creations. It is in this realm that the artist makes a visual statement about society, using gold leaf as a power symbol for immaculate beauty. Decorative in a sense, much like the use of gold leaf in ancient temples, but in a more bold and cheeky way, fitting to the overheated state of affairs in modern society.
It’s a backdrop that has evolved since the artist’s teenage youth as a writer and singer about love and depression. At one point in his life, words stopped to prove being of use in attempts to explain meaning of life, which is when the canvass started to become his mirror for the soul.This was the moment that the artist decided to stop writing and start painting. Today, men are visual. We need to see to understand. An art object is multifunctional; it sends a message, gives a feeling and it decorates the environment that people live in. The impact is enormous, without forcing anything on anyone, because the art is silent.
‘Art is a decorative silence that speaks’.
The Earth and Life, Joy and Happiness, Decoration and Beauty, form the golden triangle for the artist’s golden artwork. ‘The beauty of life is only visible with happiness.’ All the different art pieces are a part of the puzzle that reflect the personality and beliefs of the artist. One unique piece of art will never explain the world, but it gives the illusion that it will. Only if you can see the true beauty, the world will explain itself.
The message of the artist to his audience is: open the doors to happiness, by enabling yourself to see that everything in life is beautiful.