For portraits I had lessons from Jeroen Krabbe´s father. In Holland everybody knows Jeroen, one of the criminals in a James Bond movie, but few know that his father would drive with his little moped to Amstelveen,  where he gave lessons in portrait painting. He knew what colours were necessary and what not and helped me with my pallet.

At the Wackers Academy where I graduated 1995 in fine arts I had many good teachers like Sam Drukker. The Academy took five years. At that time it was the only Academy in Holland concentrating on classical methods: you must learn to draw before you paint , understand forms, techniques and go to the museum to meet the old masters. When I paint I hear the teachers whispering behind my back. I listen and rebel, rebel and listen.