The extraordinary in the ordinary – paintings by Elly Verrijt at Oktober

The extraordinary in the ordinary – paintings by Elly Verrijt at Oktober
The paintings by Bergeijk-based artist Elly Verrijt are on display;
an exhibition full of colour, expression and, above all, extraordinary faces, each telling its own story.
Elly Verrijt, born in 1969 in Bergeijk, is entirely self-taught. 
She finds her inspiration mainly in people and animals, but also in ideas and images that spring to mind unexpectedly.
People, their emotions, their aura and the stories that sometimes seem to lie hidden behind a face
are a key source of inspiration. “I want to show the extraordinary in the ordinary,” says Elly.
The eyes play a key role in this. Her paintings often depict clear and expressive faces with an intense gaze.
A gaze that can evoke recognition, but can also raise questions. For what does a face actually tell us? And does everyone see the same thing?

For Elly, colour is also an important means of making emotions visible.
Through her use of colour, she seeks expressiveness and the right balance between tranquillity, tension and emotion.
“In my work, I experiment with form: from chaos to tranquillity, from detail to simplicity.”
This constant quest makes her work surprising and multifaceted. 
Sometimes powerful and bold, sometimes understated. But always inviting the viewer to look beyond the initial impression.