museum Archives - CLEVERcreating

What to See in Antwerp, Belgium, Including Unknown Hot Spots

March 27, 2024March 27, 2024 by Hannie Mommers

In the Netherlands, we lived 5 miles from the Belgium border. Crossing the border really meant crossing a frontier, despite that small distance.

As soon as you are in the neighbourhood of the border you can see that the street is different (ask any professional cyclist – Belgian cobblestone roads are famous), the houses are built with materials we don’t use in the Netherlands and on a back road it even shows that nature looks different. In the Netherlands everything is clean-cut, Belgium is cozier.

For Tom and me, Antwerp was closer than Amsterdam, so if we wanted to sniff some culture we usually went there. What to see in Antwerp? There is a lot of variety and the terraces are great!

National Park Hoge Veluwe, the Netherlands, Definitely Worth a Visit

February 22, 2024February 22, 2024 by Hannie Mommers

Years ago my husband and I were finally able to take a day off (we had the worst bosses ever – we were both solo entrepreneurs) and decided we wanted to have a combination of culture, nature, exercise and fun. Preferably all in one place.

We could have gone to Insel Hombroich just across the border of Germany, but another great place where you can have it all is National Park Hoge Veluwe. It’s located in the east of the Netherlands and even on that winter’s day it was beautiful.

Cars are allowed in the park but are strongly discouraged by an additional charge on the entrance fee. If you have no difficulty moving, it is better to park the car at one of the entrances and continue on foot or by bicycle. This way you save nature and you see more details of the park.

30 Tips to Spend Free Time Finding Inspiration for Creative Projects

January 5, 2024January 5, 2024 by Hannie Mommers

At most of the exhibitions where I showed my work, I tried to be present to talk to the visitors. The most frequently asked question was: where do you find the inspiration for your subjects? To which my answer was that I had some tricks for that.

Developing inspiration is a conscious process. Or at least it could be. It also depends on our character what our favourite method is.

In this article, I give you 30 tips to spend your free time finding inspiration and spark your creativity. It is a random list of all kinds of things I occasionally do. Get inspired.

The Van Abbe Museum in Eindhoven Puts your Imagination to Work

November 3, 2023November 2, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

When Tom and I are visiting the Netherlands, we always frequent different museums. The Van Abbe Museum in Eindhoven is regularly on our list.

The museum houses modern art in the form of paintings, drawings, sculpture and video art. The building is fantastic on the inside. There are quite a few different exhibitions, both short-term and long-term, so there is always something that really appeals to us.

I have an important criticism that I will address in this article, but it has little impact on my feelings. It is a fantastic museum that is well worth a visit.

What Styles or Subjects Inspired Visual Artists in the 1960s?

October 6, 2023October 6, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

In the last quarter of 1969, aged 16, I went to Art school to become a teacher in visual arts and crafts. At that time I did not read any national or international newspapers, my parents were subscribed to the local newspaper.

The turbulent 1968 and the artistic expressions of that time had passed me by completely unnoticed. The academy became a pressure cooker of historical insight and political awareness.

I was lucky that my art history and art appreciation teachers were very enthusiastic and were really good at transferring their enthusiasm to their students. Not just on visual artists in the 1960s of course, but on art history in general.

Is the Remote Situated Kröller-Müller Museum Worth Visiting?

October 2, 2023October 2, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Most tourists visit Amsterdam or the Randstad region when they go to the Netherlands. There is nothing wrong with that because both the city and the area have a lot to show.

Personally, I don’t like crowds much myself, so when I still lived in the Netherlands I usually went to other parts of the country.

I have always found the Hoge Veluwe National Park and the Kröller-Müller Museum worth visiting. In every season, although we were longer inside the museum in the winter and spent more time outdoors in the summer.

Enjoy Art for Free with these 17 Attractive Tips

September 25, 2023September 25, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

Art sometimes has an elitist character. Artists are partly the cause of this – yes, guilty, me too at times *blushing* – by stating that the public does not understand our art and thus creating an unnecessary distance.

Self-proclaimed art lovers are partly the cause of this by being haughty and feeling they stand above the masses. While of course, everyone can enjoy art. And don’t worry: not all art needs to be understood or even liked.

In my (free) eBook “How to get the most out of a visit to the museum” I give tips to enjoy art, but museums usually require an entrance fee.

So how can you enjoy art for free?

3 Spectacular Buildings and Modern Art in Bilbao, Spain

August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

We dislike the crowds in the big cities more and more, yet, if we want to see beautiful things we will have to go there. Our solution is to spend the night in small towns during the holidays and take a day trip to a city.

On one of those holidays, we wanted to see the modern art in Bilbao and we saw and experienced 3 amazing places. All 3 within walking distance of each other, unless you are not able to walk well.

There is definitely more to see in the city, but we went for modern art; architecture, paintings, and 3D work.

Discovering 3 Fascinating Cultural Hotspots in Tilburg, the Netherlands

May 26, 2023May 22, 2023 by Hannie Mommers

In the 70s I studied and lived in Tilburg. It was hardly a bustling city then. Empty factories and unstructured plans for the town and its inhabitants. A grey impression.

Later I worked as a graphic designer for the municipality of Tilburg and saw the efforts being made to improve the town. Often together with the residents in seminars and workshops.

Nowadays, there is much to experience in the city, especially in the cultural field. Factories and other empty buildings have been refurbished and given a cultural destination.