Petra Moons, is an Dutch-Martinique artist with roots from the old harbor town of Den Haag (‘s-Gravenhage) in the Netherlands.
Already as a child, she astonished Friends, Familie and her environment at school drawing very mature comic stripes with humorous and social expression.
Before her actual artistic painting education she already made fashion drawings for some fashion companies in Belgium and France.
Petra Moons with Marina Picasso. SALON INTERNATIONALE D’ART in Cannes in 2016.
Artistic education in painting
- Academie for Fine Arts in Antwerp
- Classieke Academie vor Schilderkunst • Amsterdamse HS voor de kunsten
She also studied theater at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
During this time, she worked for advertising agencies as an advertising illustrator, for newspapers as a satire draftsman and financed her studies in this way and with other commissioned works.
She now lives since several years in Southern France, Cannes.
The impressions of this picturesque landscape and of the French “Savoir vivre” are also found in many of her works.
Her painterly expression is very inspired by the impressionistic works of the old master Renoir.
During her various creative phases she has developed her own style. Corpulent women as a mirror of society. Very detailed in the presentation and a content that makes the viewer‘s own existence appear in the optimism of a social sorrow.
- 1991 / May Exhibition, France, Paris, Hotel „Le Bristol Paris“
- 1995 / June Foyer exhibition, Belgium, Brussels „Marriott Hotel Grand Place“ • 1998 / Feb-Sept Belgium, Ostend „BNP Paribas“ permanent exhibition
- 2000 / Jan-July permanent exhibition, , France, Avignon „Hôtel La Mirande“ • 2004 / March exhibition in France, Nice „Mairie“
- 2003-2007 permanent exhibitions in Martinique
- since 2015 Cannes „Galerie Signatures“
- 22.09.-25.09.2016 Art exhibition in Cannes „Artistes du Monde“
- 2017 / Feb.-July exhibition in Cannes „Restaurant L‘Oasis» (2-star Michelin Guide)
I love your painting. Where does his magnificent way of painting come from?
It is coming from my imagination, sometimes I see something in real life and then I can have an imagination before I start my artwork.
From which artistic sources do you drink?
A bit the same answer as the first one….from what I see all around me, what’s happening, and of course my imagination. I can mix the reality and my imagination together…
What techniques do you use to give that reality mixed with reverie?
I used to work with oil, but I prefer acrylic…sometimes I mix the two together.
An artist is born or made?
I think that an artist has as first a talent, and that he/she must have a lot of chances in life ..so yes, an artist is born with his talent….of course you can go to an Art school, but I think if an artist has no talent a school wouldn’t help much.
What an artist must have to succeed?
I think that good contacts are very important for the world to know who I am, just like a good marketing.
Where is your painting going?
My paintings are going all around the world…I sold painting to Hungary, Germany, Monaco, the Netherlands, England, USA, Belgium….
What has been your best exposure?
My best exposure was in a two star MICHELIN restaurant called L’OASIS, and at the NEGRESCO HOTEL, in Nice…and I am happy that I sold a few paintings to a (real) german princesse, Beatrix von Anhalt, who first bought me a humorous painting and than a tattoo woman plus last year another humorous painting again…..and then to a great Lady working in a bank from Monaco ho bought some paintings from me, plus….an order that she made from a portrait from her father.
Art needs new values?
I think my style is unique , so far…… I do not know any other painter who has the same style like mine …. the reason also that I was able to sell 11 paintings in September to two different customers …. 4 times when I arrived in a show of Art as visitor…. I was directly recognized with my style that I do, I thought, «wow, that’s great, I don’t even expose, and they know who I am».
What value does art have for you?
Art is my passion, I couldn’t live without it brings me happiness, and then to have the recognition of people make me hugely happy.
An artist has to expose necessarily in the Art Galleries to succeed?
No, not necessary, you can also sell your artwork on internet as Facebook, or Instagram.
How do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Good question…who knows what will happen in 10 years….but I would like to be so famous all over the world with my art, and to use my celebrity to advance the safeguarding of animals.
You always put animals in your pictures, what is the reason?
Animals are for me the most faithful beings, never an animal betrays you …. what we can not always say of human beings… that is the reason why I love all animals.
Thanks very much Petra!
I wish that you get the success.
I am sure that you will get!
