......... Biography ..........

Born in the Netherlands, Petronella van den Berg has been working and living in Naramata, BC since 2002.

Attended the Academy of the Art in Zutphen. Petronella was an artist-apprentice for two years with the Dutch sculptor - Josef Kemperman. studied with Stone Carver, Connie de Graaf - Dutch Sculptor/artist as well with African artists, Alexander Makaki and Wilfred Tempo from Zimbabwe. And attended art workshops in the Netherlands and Canada.

The majority of the Acrylic paintings are colourful. Primary colours are the first choice. Some of her paintings are figurative, but mostly abstract.

The paintings and sculptures are free of theoretical or rational ideas. Everything is left to freedom of emotions and the moments. The interpretation is left entirely to the viewer. It might appear to be fantasy  or impulse, but then you will discover a traceable relation to the current reality.

In 1990 after painting for serveral years - she found her true métier -

"Stone Carving"

Petronella create sculptures from soap stone, alabaster, marble, granite, African wonder stone and serpentine from Zimbabwe.  Most of the time Petronella uses only hand tools. She carves directly out of stone, with respect for the nature material.  She works mostly without sketches.

"When I touch the stones with my hands and carve them with my tools,

I translate my feelings directly into the process of creating my sculpture."

In 2004 she worked as a commissioned artist for the First Nation's Sculpture on Main in Westbank, BC. Van den Berg was also one of the commissioned sculptors working in Kelowna-BC during the "Centennial Sculpture Project" in 2005.

Most of the time, the source of Van den Berg's inspiration is in the stone. The purity of the stone and Structure speaks to her. Van den Berg's sculptures depict the human shape. She also has a passion to create pure abstract forms. Her paintings and sculptures are in private collections across Europe and North America.

Artist Statement:

Emotions, personal experiences and the purity of the stone are the guidelines for her sculptures. It is also possible that the nature of Petronella's daily life gives her ideas.

" I enjoy art that feeds the soul and has a depth to it that goes beyond its physical presence.

The challenge to me as an artist is to create a sculpture that has depth and spirit of its own".

Constantin Brancusi, August Rodin, Henry Moore and the English painter J.M.W Turner inspires Petronella.