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Backpacking Inspiration From Nature: Capture the Moment

The Dutch artist Hans Bulder draws his inspiration from the Veluwe, a forest area in the Dutch province of Gelderland, whose varied natural landscape and diverse wildlife represent a rich fund of experiences that the painter captures on the canvas with realistic brushstrokes.

Blue, yellow, and green are the colors of spring. Rich, dark shades of green define summer. Fog banks and the lower sun herald autumn. Diffused light sets the tone in winter.

Hans Bulder wants to see it, has to feel it. It should go through and through him – this unique moment that imprints itself so deeply that it simply has to be immortalized on the screen. The artist, who is so fascinated by nature and the animals of the Gelderland Veluwe, is one of the most sought-after realistic nature painters. If you allow yourself to be captivated by his works, you can clearly see why.

Clouds are reflected in the crystal clear eye. Vibrissae shimmer in the backlight. The fur looks so real that you want to reach out and touch it. The paintings of the passionate painter are characterized by an amazingly perfect naturalism. Motives that kindle passion, captured during extensive forays through the forests and fields of the Dutch province of Gelderland. Here in the Veluwe – this large forest area that stretches over around 1,100 square kilometers – Bulder feels at home and finds all the inspiration he needs to realize his paintings.

As The Seasons Change

This unique natural landscape has been the source of his creativity for four decades. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter: the artist takes the viewer on a journey through the four seasons and creates an atmospheric atmosphere in his pictures with every brush stroke, which captivates not only with the motifs but also with the skillful choice of colors. The self-taught artist, who has long since become a master and whose customers include top-class art collectors such as Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, the Sultan of Oman, the Dutch State Secretary Ad Ploeg, and the Prime Minister of Lower Saxony, Ernst Albrecht, began painting at the age of 23. Although his father painted himself and, as an artist with a surrealist bent, inspired the audience with, among other things, Arcadian landscapes, young Hans was initially drawn to the drums. He played in bands and loved going out, although even then he had the heart of a real nature lover. From being a dental technician, he wanted to go out into the forest, out into the fields, to the animals, into nature. Take a deep breath, experience the visual inspiration, and capture it on the canvas.

As if Intoxicated

The first canvas he tried his hand at belonged to his father. The battered, almost empty tubes of paint also came from his studio. Bulder drew and drew and never stopped. He fell into an intoxicated state, which a doctor friend of his worriedly interrupted. Hans should learn to take breaks. Get out into nature at least once a day. He took the advice and found his balance again. In 1976 he created what Bulder calls his “first presentable painting” today with a smile. The first exhibition took place in a hotel restaurant and the local press published an article about it. The interest in animal motifs and realistic representations was great. The up-and-coming painter increasingly attracted public attention, and further exhibitions in Germany and the first presentations abroad followed. A huge success that filled the nature lover with pride with the skillful brushstroke.

Final thoughts

Like Dutch artist Hans Bulder, you can capture the beauty of nature. It may not be on canvas but through the lens of your camera. Purchase what you need from sites like Ballachy for a planned trip to nature. Pack your stuff over the weekend, and experience the beauty of nature. There’s so much to capture in nature. All you really need is inspiration to capture every precious moment.

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