Sjoukje Bierma in MASTERS GALLERY: 'It's the fear of fading'

"Yellow Face " I made some time ago and is still a sought-after fashion illustration. This work is actually my best-known work as a fashion illustrator. Among other things, Yellow Face was used for Fashionweek as one of the seven illustrations large 'backdrops 200×275 cm' in the lounge area of Fashionweek. In addition, this work has hung in the Amsterdam Hallen for about six years, and Yellow Face is being used as we speak for Puck & Hans' window display on the Rokin. Among many other illustrations, Yellow Face is sold all over the world, from New York City and Dubai, to Tokyo. I love that my image travels around the world and is requested and used for different purposes. For fashion illustrations, I often work graphically, with lots of color, usually in ink, and I never actually make those 'oops-girls,' but much prefer strong women and men."

"Because of my illustration work, Het Parool asked me to do illustrations for the newspaper. My first work about eight years ago was a portrait of Obama after which I did many illustrations for Het Parool. I find it exciting to make a concept to a story, because in my eyes an illustration is meant to trigger and complement the story. So I think about what kind of material I make it with. Should it be soft or hard lines? What colors are beautiful? What tells the story and how does it feel? I made the portrait of Peter R. de Vries last year after the attack on him. I myself was quite upset by this violence and the portrait had to be made quickly, Peter R. was still in the hospital. For me, illustrating is not done without emotion. It is so important to make a good and honest portrait of it. For me, illustration is non-verbal communication. For a newspaper, I think all readers should be able to understand the work. I have drawn Holleeder and Taghi, among others, for Het Parool, and of course the emotion I want it to evoke is very different from that of De Vries. I created the work with watercolor and ink."

"In addition to commissioned illustrations and portraits, I create free work. The word says it all, free work is work I want to create without an outside commission. I let my own creativity and inspiration run wild. For my exhibition "Come Closer," I created a series of portraits, ink on linen, that seem to disappear in response to the cries for attention on mainly social media. I personally experience this screaming in this day and age. It is the fear of fading... What do we really need? What is the true identity of the person in the portrait? My portraits show vulnerability and are almost transparent. Here show characters who are not concerned with self-aggrandizement or adornment. Simplicity and tranquility are chosen. Standing still with each other and quietly contemplating."