Hi!

My name is Tarja Vandergoot (Art by Tar), and I am a self-taught and unconventional artist from The Netherlands. I specialize in realistic portraits of women and mixed media art. What sets me apart is my unique approach: I combine traditional techniques with processes I have developed myself to create a work of art. As a result, my creations are a blend of various traditional paints and techniques on paper or canvas, graphite pencil, and digital elements.

My creative process is driven by intuition and serves as an ode to women and femininity. Often, it’s only after completing a piece that I fully understand what particular feeling or emotion I was trying to express—revealing itself through a distinctive use of form and color palette.

I start with a detailed graphite pencil drawing of a woman with a specific expression in her eyes or a captivating composition, with a primary focus on drawing. Although drawing is central to my work, I sometimes incorporate other media such as photography or printmaking. From there, I bring the artwork to life by adding vibrant paints, diverse materials, and intricate details. Once the physical artwork reaches a certain point, I take a high-resolution photograph and bring it into the digital realm, where I experiment with colors, shades, and composition to further enhance the piece.

Depending on my final vision, I have the work printed behind plexiglass, which gives it a modern, polished look, or on aluminum dibond. If I opt for a print on aluminum, I continue the creative process by adding more paint and materials directly onto the print to refine it further. I finish the piece with one or multiple layers of resin, creating a layered effect that adds depth and makes the artwork truly stand out.

Feel free to take a look around!


❤️ Tarja


Sources of inspiration:
Masato Tsuchiya (drawings), Melissa La Bozzetta (femininity), Amy Shekhter (epoxy art), Maaike Wycisk (colors and femininity), Yossi Kotler & Paco Raphael (colors and shapes)


Looking for an artwork or collection for your establishment or as part of an interior design? Let’s discuss your wishes! Contact me via the web form or email me at tarja@artbytar.nl

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(Past) Gallery collaborations:

  • Van Gogh Art Gallery Madrid

  • Bijzondere Schilderijen

  • Alosery Art & Design

  • Saatchi&Saatchi

  • Singulart

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(Past) Exhibitions:

  • MADS Milano Shape of my Art

  • Nationale Kunstdagen

  • FOCUS art fair Paris

  • ART Eindhoven

    EuropArtfair

  • Firstartfair

  • Art3f

Cross-promotion:
www.reikioplocatie.nl