A NEW YEAR!

A beautiful and loving New Year to you all!

Today, the very first day of this new year, 2024! I have some time and space to lean over the keyboard of my macbook and briefly tell you about last year and the plans for Atelier Chaos for this year.

So many questions from you, people who were concerned because my last Instagram post was on May13th -’23 and my last blog on March 8th 2022!!

I can reassure everyone: everything is going great! :)

The reasons for fewer publications and updates of my Art works (and me);

I decided to take up my profession as an Art teacher again (at different schools and at the Groninger Museum) and make a good division between working in my atelier on Art projects and teaching Art to young people.

Besides the fact that not a week goes by with a gap in my agenda, I also have to deal with confidential assignments regarding my atelier work. I respect this and deal with it discreetly.

And…. another reason is that, unfortunately, I no longer have access to my two-classroom-sizes atelier, which turned out to be a perfect location for photoshoots and an overview of my sculptures (see blog update-March 8). This space was stunning for my creatures, high and large. Since June 2023 I have been back working in my studio in the city centre of Groningen.

So, for this year it’s again a big question mark where the road leads. I will of course continue working on exiting (secret) projects and I promise myself to make time to create, experiment, publish and continue with new work to inspire you!

Saying this, I would like to conclude that I feel like a privileged person to be able to create and work. There are so many people in te world right now who can’t. People who have to deal with war and violence and other sufferings. Let’s look out for each other more in 2024 and create a peaceful world!

Lots of love,

Sandra - Atelier Chaos

UPDATE!

I can't believe how fast time goes. I start every blog with 'apologies' for the fact that it has been so long since I wrote anything. This is of course not entirely the purpose of a blog. I had planned to keep posting weekly developments and recent events here, but the time during covid I put everything very much in context. I didn't feel the urgency to write a blog. On my instagram ATELIERCHAOS I have faithfully published the developments regarding my studio. If there is no new blog for a while, then you can find me there…

But let me just start.

issue no. 3 | March 2022 | VW WONEN MAGAZINE

Publication VT WONEN magazine

I just got a copy of VT WONEN magazine from my letterbox and I am very pleased with the article in which I tell about my working method and also about my path that I have walked regarding the sculptures. I can hardly imagine there are 6 pages with an insight into my atelier. Photos assisted by an interview. Eveline, Mariska and Ernie, thank you so much for your time and dedication to make this a beautiful whole. I am honoured. The new VT WONEN will be available in many stores from tomorrow afternoon. I only added a ‘dot’ above, for more? check the magazine! :) (in the shop from Wednesday | March | 19th).

Groninger Museum Exhibition

Monday will be the day. I'm going to finish my installation OPUS and my sculptures will come back to my atelier. They had a beautiful stage in the Groninger Museum. They couldn't have wished for a better place to exhibit for 9 months. Every month I visited my own exhibition. Sometimes to observe, but mostly to add the works created by visitors to the growing artwork in the middle of the Art Space. The golden rope, made from recycled bottles, was braided, knotted by children, parents ... visitors and I was allowed to add these golden creative expressions. So nice to see how a joint work of art develops! I can never again enter this specific space of the museum without melancholy...it was a real pleasure for me to be part of this wonderful biennale. So Monday, 13th will be a special day! (photos of the OPUS installation at the Groninger Museum, below).

Textile Plus Magazine

The publications from different angles. It's like sometimes my work goes faster than I can keep up with. A few months ago the publisher of the Textiel Plus Magazine asked me if I would like to do a short interview, accompanied by a spreadsheet photo. I said ‘yes’ and the result is so beautiful again this time. What good writers and photographers we have. If you can make a nice whole out of my extremely quickly and often too spontaneously formed sentences...and take a good picture of my restless poses (I seem to have the photography-focus of a shrimp according to my friend), then I have deeply respect. Thanks Wouter, Auke and Monique for your time and endurance.

What’s next

New developments are in full swing. Finally, a few keywords and I promise to come up with a new blog about the outcome next month. Ok, there's something going on with regard to a nice gallery, a beautiful label and something with a private island…

PEACE!! PLEASE!!

Everything, but really everything I write above is in stark contrast to importance. I wake up every day angry and sad because there is so much going on right now. A lot of injustice and I feel empty, despondent and powerless. My creativity has therefore fallen to an all-time low and I really hope from the bottom of this crying heart that we come out of this turbulent time well. Keep believing, keep hoping.

Love,

Sandra

O P U S

There has been some time between the last blog and this writing. It’s time for an update!

My exhibition in het Groninger Museum, called OPUS has been on display for about a full Month now. On June 1 was the opening which was done by Royal Highness Queen Maxima.

Slide | photos | Queen Maxima made the first symbolic knot in my installation OPUS | Groninger Museum

Very much honored the Queen took all the time to have a conversation about OPUS and thankful for the compliments she gave about my work. ‘Impressive’ and ‘powerful’ were here words… - 01-06-2021 -

Curious about the exhibition(s)? The Groninger Museum is open from Monday - Sunday 10.00 - 17.00 | you can check the site of the museum: www.Groningermuseum.nl

On Instagram [ATELIERCHAOS] there’s an update every week in my insta-story’s on ‘Museum Opus’ … I also give side information about the interactive wall; the growing sculpture; and more and more facts and photos about my expo.

And… I’m very much excited about the small video I’m making together with a magnificent videomaker. More to come, but it’s nice to mention that in this video I’ll give a glimpse in my life as a visual artist. Most people know me because of my knotted sculptures, but I do more visuals and artwork. You get a little bit more ‘me, myself, story and I’ :). I’ll keep you informed, we still working on this one.

Last Month I mentioned I also working on some small items for the Groninger Museum Shop, this is still in progress. I was hoping the items would be ready in time, but unfortunately the ceramic part of this items are slightly delayed. So keep you informed about this too.

So many beautiful things rolling my way right now and I’m so grateful for that! I can’t write about all at this moment, but I like to share with you one of these: some photos and a short-cut video I made of dancer Tresor moving with my sculptures. A lovely symbiose… (see insta).

photography by atelier chaos | model Tresor | June 2021

I love to share more soon. For now I wish you all the best. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you like to ask something. You can find me on instagram [pm] or mail at info@chaos.si

Love,

Sandra

Tresor Nzita Fatima, professional dancer | concept | video + art by Sandra de Groot | atelier chaos | June 2021

UPCOMING (- and things I work on...)

It’s been a while…

Every time I apologize for the fact that it has been so long since I wrote something for ‘new blog’… now again.

A lot of things are happening here, at atelier Chaos!…and I love to share some things with you (and I hope I also answer many questions from interested and curious followers and people who like my work, for which I am very grateful! )

Firstly, an exhibition that is important to me is planned in the Groninger Museum I already wrote about it in an earlier blog (scroll down). Now we are a bit further in the process to the coming exhibition (first of June - opening)…my sculptures for the installation now become true identities and will be ready to be transported to the Museum in about seven weeks. I’m very excited about this moment!

Last week I did a PHOTOSHOOT and through this shoot I expressed my thoughts that I’d been walking around for a while…below some images of my shoot (and on insta gram every week new feet | more: @atelierchaos.

A SHORT FILM will be made in the run-up to this specific exhibition and I am very enthusiastic about this! When the time comes, I also will show more of this short-cut-film!

I’m also developing items for the Groninger Museum Art-Design SHOP. Items that can be sold during my expo. This will be the very first time I design smaller knotted sculptures in my atelier, with a direct link to the exhibition of course…and: some cards will be designed by me as well, linked to the expo.

Besides this, I’m working on the design for the CRAFT WALL (part of my expo) in the Museum…on this wall every visiter can create their own knotting design during the exhibition! Coming weeks I’ll select and combine my finds (gymnastic rings, leathers, and ropes…)

And: there’re a few more EXHIBITIONS on the agenda for the coming months, but more about this later (umcg + art and away).

lot of things to work on, but everything is nice and I love to work on all this beautiful ‘up comings’…

So I’ll try to stay in touch… and keep you informed! on INSTA GRAM I’m active, so you can always ‘find me there’!

stay cool, stay healthy!

love,

sandra

photography | design | concept | styling by Sandra de Groot

model Lucas (check instagram @lucas_broerz)

photography | design | concept | styling by Sandra de Groot

model Lucas (check instagram @lucas_broerz)

atelier c h a o s

For an exhibition in April 2021 I have been asked to mail a photo of ‘me and my work’.

I searched through my photos, but sadly I couldn’t find a resent photo that I could send (without the photographers permission | and that ones were also used for other purposes…). Therefore I decided to take a photo by myself of myself in my atelier today. Well, I can guarantee you: that was not as easy as it sounds | looks like…

Hope this one will do!

Take care and stay healthy.

Love Sandra

atelier Chaos

my work | atelier | me | 05-12-2020

DO!

I recently came across this video. Sol leWitt speaks to Eva Hesse (sculptor - artist). His words, his act, perfectly and masterfully! -the conclusion (for me) | stay true to your own feelings, stay authentic, autonomous and dedicated. Believe in yourself and your skills and you can do more then you think (all by yourself). Stop thinking so much, allow yourself to say ‘f**?k to what you worry about too much and throw the burden off your shoulders. Free your mind…and just DO! (create your own world)- The best words I needed right now! So many thanks to Sol! Watch and hear this out!

(Press in the middle of the photo for the amazing speech!)

photo | me, working on a sculpture | ibiza 2019

UPCOMING EXHIBITION atelier CHAOS @ the Groninger Museum

Again, it’s been a while. My intention, when I added 'new blog' to this website, was to create a blog at least once a month. However this apparently works badly for me. As I mentioned before, Instagram is a faster way of sharing information I think. But every now and then I feel the need to share something new through my site. hereby :)

kNOT installation last year at the visual art centre 2019

Very exited to inform you!

A few months ago I had an email from the Groninger Museum in my mailbox. The question was whether I was interested in participating in an unique exhibition (the very first) ‘Children's Biennale’ ever shown in the Netherlands. Can you imagine that I didn't have to think twice about an answer.

There was a longlist of artists from which the Museum had to make a selection, I’v been told. I was therefore very pleased when the Museum informed me that I had been selected to participate in this Biennale (which starts in April 2021). In the meantime I presented my concept and in my atelier I’m planning and organizing the works | sculptures that I like to exhibit. I’m working on new things|objects too. The museum offers an entire space, so that requires a good planning this coming period.

“…the skills of craft can only survive if they live in each generation...”

I am so honored and proud of this participation in the Children's Biennale. I find it important that childeren become acquainted with Art at a young age & thus receive a positive stimulant, experience and interpretation of Art | Design | Culture. Interactive or inactive. Just by being in a Museum is magnificent!

For me it means also I can show childeren that crafting and traditional skills are (hugely) important. I mean, I like to show them that crafts also lead to Dreams and that, for example it is great to develop skills by ‘fixing things’ around the house…to create things, repair things and to stay always curious… :). I like to show them that it will be rewarded when you’re inventive, creative, active (and also patient) and dream... instead of hanging in front of TV’s, in mobiles, games…and consuming, haha. ‘ [Once a teacher, always a teacher…]’

The installation I'm working on is about awareness and it shows that by working patiently, repetitive, focused and intuitive, constructive objects (an installation) arises.
I hope that my knotted installation can contribute something to a positive image of creative craftsmanship and I can only hope that they recognize that this must never be lost :). The skills of craft can only survive if they live in each generation. (Of course explained in an accessible way…).

At this moment I can’t do any other exciting collaborations or commissioned work besides the museum project, because I like a focus for a few months (and I have been working a lot in fragmented work lately…).

This decision gives me some breath and new insights...It is an exciting time at the moment. let's make the best of it and hope that this period (where nothing is certain) will pass quickly.

Stay healthy and be nice to each other.

love,

sandra

I’ll keep you posted here ‘new blog’ about the ‘Groninger museum-project’ | or you can see on instagram ATELIERCHAOS

photo |styling |knots by atelier chaos | model fareda 2019

Times are changing

It’s been a while…since my last post. As a mother, teacher, artist and my own manager, there is not always a bright light in every day. From November last year, till January, February I worked like crazy on a ‘secret-assignment’ for a worldly label…I’m sorry I can’t show you anything of these sculptures I worked on for months…but hey, here we go again. We’ve been all through a strange period of time since we heart the word ‘corona’ …I’like to write, that I’m back in my atelier again and I ‘take the ropes’… In my rather new large space I can breath and work…and think about how we start from ‘the new’ here… making plans.

On my instagram account I’m a bit more active writing about my latest :)… on instagram: ATELIERCHAOS you can find my work.

Wishing everyone all the best. Take care.

atelier chaos - new space | 2020

THIS MONTH: A MAD HOUSE

Latest news about my work as an interdisciplinary artist… it’s a mad house at atelier CHAOS these days. My hours are filled with so many different things. I like to work on several projects at the same time, but at this moment it’s a real mix of everything. And it’s all so cool. The thing I’m worried about is that I’m my own manager and advisor…I mean, I do the whole stuff: e-mails, visits, arrangings, accountancy, visuals…creating and experimenting is one thing but all ‘manager-actions’ is not really my cup of tea. But hey, so far so good. When you run your own atelier, it’s like real business :).. There’s great NEWS! I have permission to say that our collaboration has started! I’m proud to announce that dutch designer Marcel Wanders, and I will be working | collaborate on a new knotted light sculpture design for Moooi, a dutch design label. This is at an early stage, but the first steps have been taken. Keep you posted in my ‘new blogs’.

I also mentioned that I’m so proud that my photos of the kNOTs are published in two beautiful magazines this Month. The October issue of Elle Decor Italia Magazine and the Hi-Fructose Contemporary Art Magazine. In the line up ‘media’ you can check more details. Still available in the shops ;).

Another big surprise was the press meeting about another project several weeks ago. My work as an interdisciplinary artis is about crossovers and exceed limits. A big part of my ateliertime I spend on my kNOT sculptures, but there is also a great collaboration with Oscar Venema. Together we’re known as ZKUMM (see info and photos in the bar > ‘ZKUMM’. We made a trip last year to Bayern München to photograph footballplayer Arjen Robben for a large scale artwork for the Noorderpoort College Sportcentre. And, we shot basketballplayer Jason Dourisseau for the same commissioned work. In the blackline below you can see the unveiling of our artworks. We’re so joyous the artworks have been wel received.

A few days before this festive happening the Prins Bernhard Culture Fond called me to report that I am nominated for the Cultural Talent Award 2019 wich is handed out by the Provincial Government Groningen. 11 November the winner will be appointed. I am very honored to receive so much appreciation at the moment.

And…still going strong with my CIRCULAR ART project for the House of Design. All the information below in black lines.

I’m going for a long weekend now. Tomorrow I’ll have a workshop and experiment with clay, to make sculptural elements to add to my kNOTs. Let’s see what it brings. Have a good weekend and take care

NEW PROJECT CIRCULAR DESIGN

I was asked by The House of Design (www.houseofdesign.nl) to make a design for the circular design project in Groningen. With this initiative we are making an effort to reduce the large amount of residual waste. This week I made a start. I sat with my head in a bag of second-hand clothes. I use this items to make a large ephemeral textile installation. Through a weekly blog here I will keep you informed of the latest developments in atelier chaos. Here, the first images of the start of my CIRCULAR-TEXTILE-INSTALLATION.

On the 3th of November my installation will be presented. From 12.00 - 17.00 at Verroest, industrial design Groningen. (www.verroest.nl)

www.houseofdesign.nl

www.verroest.nl

process of my circular design | concept | idea | materials

LANDSCAPE DNA | 2.80 h. x 1.90 b. | result of the circular design project november 2019 | atelier chaos

German TV crew at atelier CHAOS

All good (media) kNOT project- related things came together in one week…

Tuesday there was a German TV crew in the atelier to make a broadcast / docu about my kNOT project…

There was a publication of my photos, my work and an interview in the Hi-Fructose Magazine issue october…

Suddenly there were 10.000 followers on my instagramaccount…

I’ve been called by The Prins Bernhard Culture Fonds that I was nominated for a Talent award…

Sometimes I can’t believe all this! I feel so honoured.

on instagram more images | news about kNOT issues | update. ATELIERCHAOS on instagram

The crew on location(s) atelier and my photography-location, an old fabric | model: Fareda Johnson

publications in the Hi-fructose contemporary art magazine, issue 53 October 2019

BIG ART

Next week I’ll install 3 of my kNOTs for the BIGART exhibition. The 3 kNOTs that were exhibited last year at the Palazzo Turati in Milan, during the Salone del Mobile Milano and during the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven at Piet Hein Eek gallery will be at BIGART now! So, if you didn’t manage to see them last year, there is a possibility to check this ones out.

I’ll show up at the Hembrug terrein too, next to my sculptures or somewhere near…

BIGART

Hembrug terrein | De ProjectFabriek

Middenweg 63 | Zaanstad [Amsterdam]

Open from Thursday 12/9 till Sunday 15/9 | 11am - 7pm

like to see you there!

www.bigart.nu

ELLE DECO ITALIA MAGAZINE

In the ISSUE of ELLE DECO Italia of September 2019 it’s all about craft, textile techniques | an article about my kNOTs! I share one page with Hella Jongerius and Studio MTX.

Out NOW!