“It’s so thin, the line between something and nothing,” states Klaas Gubbels. He’s spent most of his career painting images of tables, jugs, bottles and pitchers. Now and then he adds a piece of fruit. This might be seen as repetitive or monotonous. It is, however, intimate and inviting. The use of homely everyday objects makes it legible for everybody. So ordinary and with minimal means that you would almost think he doesn’t care at all. The results are paintings that hit close to home and captivate a soul in colour and shape.

“Take it or leave it,” is Emo Verkerks way of describing his practice. His paintings are pleasantly contradictory and he likes to keep some distance between himself and the artworld. He paints “portraits” of people, animals and even objects now and then. The distinction must be made: it’s painting and not portraying. He shies away from trends and expectations, he colours outside the lines and won’t be fooled by anyone.

In the pictoral world of Gubbels and Verkerk nothing is left out. These painters aren’t intimidating, but embracing. There are no better professional amateur painters in the Netherlands than Klaas Gubbels en Emo Verkerk.