Ad van Riel - Little stories
Little stories, anecdotes or that which people still wanted to say. This is the heart of Little Stories, a special series of 365 paintings made between the end of 2017 and the end of 2022 by artist Ad van Riel. Each painting is like a diary page, with a new ‘story’ every day.
The idea for this series arose during the various lockdowns of the corona pandemic. The days at home were lived more intensely and consciously, and each day was captured in a painting. From cutting panels, applying primers, layers of paint in acrylic and oil to varnishing and framing, each work required about 24 hours to make (not counting drying time).
Although this series is not labelled corona art, the pandemic was a catalyst for its creation. However, the basis of this idea goes back further. In 2003 and 2004, Van Riel discovered that accidental, figurative shapes appeared in the layers of paint. This ‘pareidolia’, the ability to see figures in random structures, became an essential part of his work. What began as a tentative experiment grew into a recognisable style in which people, animals and scenes find their way into the paint.
Over the years, Van Riel has learned to no longer control the image but surrender to it, making each painting a new voyage of discovery. He likes to share this process of freedom and surrender with the public.
All works in the Little Stories series have been carefully framed, often in black frames, and are for sale including frames. Although the exhibition is almost complete, 12 works are missing and have found their way to collectors in the Netherlands, Belgium, the USA and Germany.