MY MATRYOSHKA DOLLS STORY

By Maya Apostoloska

Maya Apostoloska

eYs Magazine Media Editor - The Arts

Sometimes we cannot correctly value the art, the objects and the things we are doing because of many reasons or being overwhelmed by subjectivity. When an artist creates art, he cannot predict if he is creating a masterpiece. It needs time to read or recognize the secret meaning we are painting or drawing. I have a sketchbook, primarily for drawing while I am talking on the phone. In the moments when our ideas brighten up the light of our thoughts and everything seems to have a sense of knowledge, ecstasy and beauty on the canvas, the moment of internal peace. We must distance ourselves, so I leave the canvas overnight because in the morning the painting always looks different. The finishing touches can be done afterwards, sometimes maybe after days, years…

Since I have moved to my new house, I became good friends with the neighbour from number 12 - the mysterious Mr Willem De Witt. He is brilliant, wise and sharp in his words, has blue eyes, always styled white hair and is 93 years old. In the last four months, we have built up a beautiful friendship. His wife passed away in 2015 and since then he lives alone in this enormous house. His two sons and one daughter visit him almost every week. Willem’s wife was an artist just like me, and he used to work the same job as my husband. We have so much in common. When I asked him how she died, he just told me she was threadbare and old.

When I went for the first time to visit his house, I didn’t expect to see so much heritage in their home. I recognized a reach small museum, a stunning private collection of artworks. There were many paintings, aquarelles, prints, sculptures, original sewn art pieces… There was art everywhere, on the walls, between the books, in the hall, even pieces on the ground. Amazed by that beauty, I needed to sit down on the red chair to take a deep breath. Willem lent me the book catalogue of their private collection where besides reproductions were also described the stories about purchasing the art pieces. That’s how I started borrowing books from his library. There were over 150 artist pieces in house numbered 12 at Franklin. D. Rooseveltlaan in Rijswijk, collected from artists from the entire world. I was speechless.

From the décor in the house and the building lift chair on the stairs, I realised that someone from the family was an invalid. For the last seven years, his wife Wies De Witt was bedridden, and she couldn’t create any art. On the upper floor were the studio and all untouched paintings, brushes, and pallets from his wife. Cantered in the studio at the painting monkey was her last painting of yellow-orange flowers surrounded by a dark purple background.

Willem brought strawberries two times to our door, chocolate cakes for my children, many handmade letters and postcards for the occasions and fest days, a bouquet of 150cm long flowers- that is not Dutch behaviour, but a reflection of his character. Mr De Witt is a typical Dutch at our meetings only. He has been working as a leader and Director in the Architectural Building Company, Beton, Holland. Willem is always prepared and very well organized at all our meetings. He has his brown handbag and handwritten notes on paper that he would like to show me or discuss. We always plan our appointments with an agenda, even though we are separated by a few houses on the same street. Sometimes, I see him walking outside, passing my house on the street with or without his walking stick; (and I can see that because in Holland it’s not common to cover the enormous windows on the ground floor of the house with curtains because we do not have to hide); I am thrilled to invite him to come inside my home or in the garden to have a coffee, tea or even rose wine.

In a spontaneous meeting, there was one of my old sketchbooks laying at the table. He asked if he could have a look. Of course, I said and let him look at it while I was preparing the cappuccino. He saw a sketch of my Matryoshka Dolls I made in early 2008. It was not very significant to me, not until that day. He asked if he could borrow it and make a copy. He took the sketch, finished his coffee and went almost running to his house. He was so fast the landscape view of the trees crossing the highway disappeared. I think he was not feeling comfortable at all, and I was right.

After a few weeks, he showed me a letter he wrote to his friend Wenda- an artist from Amsterdam. The letter was handwritten, referencing the copy of my sketch with the Matryoshkas. Willem was explaining my story in his words. He wrote in the letter:

“There is the Matryoshka nesting doll Maya-the mother. Matryoshka dolls traditionally depict a mother carrying her children within her, representing fertility-carrying on the family legacy through the child in their womb. Because the dolls are associated with family and fertility the Matryoshka on the sketch has got 5 children. Three are healthy boys and two were miscarriage abortions. As the Matrushka opens where the belly is to give birth to the smaller dolls, that way Maya’s C-sections are.”

Beautiful, simple and realistic interpretation of my life through my art. That is the biggest price for one artist- when the art piece is provocative. My sketch created a story of feelings by the observatory person and returned me in time, reminding me of the warm love I own and have. Love for my children and my art.

The sketch has become so much more valued because of the story. I am honoured to have been already asked by Willem De Witt to paint him a painting of this sketch and became a piece of stone for his mosaic art collection. I will be thrilled to do that for him and for myself too.

I wish everyone has one Willem in their life. Someone who can teach you and listen to you.