Petra Verlooij is a Dutch artist whose work reflects a deep and enduring relationship with both art and nature. Her journey as an artist began early in life, shaped by a fascination with animals and the natural world. This passion eventually guided her into formal art education and a long career dedicated not only to creating art but also to sharing her knowledge with others.
In 1976, Petra Verlooij graduated from the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague as a drawing teacher. This foundation gave her both technical discipline and a strong understanding of visual expression. Following her graduation, she spent many years teaching visual arts at secondary schools and art education centers. Through teaching, she nurtured the creativity of countless students while continuing to develop her own artistic voice.
While education played an important role in her life, Petra never stopped creating. Her personal artistic exploration continued alongside her teaching career, evolving over the decades as she refined her style and explored new ideas. In 2005, she took an important step by opening her own studio, where she began teaching painting to adults. This studio became both a creative sanctuary and a place of learning where she could fully dedicate herself to painting while guiding others in their artistic journeys.
Inspired by Nature and Wildlife
Nature has always been the central source of inspiration in Petra Verlooij’s work. From a very young age, she was captivated by animals and the environments they inhabit. As a child, she spent countless hours drawing and sketching animals, observing their shapes, movements, and personalities. These early experiences laid the foundation for the themes that would later define her artistic practice.
In 1995, Petra began to focus more seriously on painting animals and wildlife. This decision marked a turning point in her work, allowing her to explore not only the physical beauty of animals but also the symbolic meanings they carry. For Petra, animals are more than just subjects. They represent instinct, strength, vulnerability, and harmony within the natural world.
Her fascination with wildlife eventually led to a dream experience that further shaped her artistic perspective. A few years ago, she traveled to Tanzania with a friend to observe animals in their natural habitat. The journey was unforgettable. Surrounded by vast landscapes and extraordinary wildlife, Petra witnessed both the beauty and the raw intensity of nature. Seeing animals living freely in their environment left a profound impression on her and deepened her appreciation for the delicate balance of life in the wild.
This experience enriched her artistic vision and reinforced her desire to portray animals not merely as visual forms but as living beings connected to their surroundings.
A Unique Painting Process
One of the most distinctive aspects of Petra Verlooij’s art is her creative process. Rather than starting with a detailed plan, she begins each painting with an abstract and colorful background. This spontaneous stage allows her to explore textures, colors, and movement across the canvas. Using various materials and tools, she builds layers that create depth and energy.
The abstract background becomes a source of inspiration. Within these colors and forms, Petra begins to see the possibility of an animal emerging. Gradually, she develops the animal figure using water soluble oil paint, carefully shaping its presence within the abstract environment.
This process creates a fascinating dialogue between abstraction and realism. The animal is recognizable and expressive, yet it feels integrated into the abstract world around it. Petra considers the painting complete only when the animal and the background form a unified whole, where neither element dominates but instead enhances the other.
Her technique combines acrylic paint and water mixable oil colors, resulting in rich textures and vibrant tones. This mixed media approach allows her to move freely between expressive brushwork and refined details, giving each painting a unique character.
Expanding the Theme: Surreal Connections
In recent years, Petra Verlooij has begun expanding her exploration of animal imagery. While animals remain central to her work, she has introduced new elements that create unexpected relationships within the composition.
In this evolving series, animals appear alongside people, flowers, landscapes, or abstract forms. These works move slightly toward the surreal, inviting viewers to interpret the connections between the different elements. Petra refers to this direction as animals in relation to people, flowers, landscapes, and abstraction.
Despite the new thematic elements, her working method remains the same. The process still begins with an abstract background, followed by the gradual emergence of forms and subjects. The result is artwork that blends imagination with observation, creating scenes that feel both dreamlike and emotionally resonant.
At times, however, the abstract background itself becomes so powerful that Petra decides not to add any figurative subject at all. In those cases, the painting remains purely abstract. These works reveal another side of her artistic expression, where color, movement, and texture become the main focus.
Symbolism in the Leopard Painting
One of Petra Verlooij’s works demonstrates her ability to combine symbolism, nature, and emotion within a single composition. In this mixed media painting on canvas, a leopard rests quietly in a tree, almost hidden within the surrounding environment.
The leopard is a powerful symbol. In Petra’s interpretation, it represents mystery and strength. The animal appears calm, peacefully taking a nap among the branches, yet its presence carries a sense of quiet power. Leopards are known for their stealth and ability to move unseen, and this quality is reflected in the way the animal blends into its surroundings, almost unnoticed at first glance.
Alongside the leopard, a flower appears within the composition. The flower symbolizes transience, reminding the viewer of the fleeting nature of life and beauty. Flowers bloom brilliantly but only for a short time, serving as a poetic reminder of the passing of moments.
The combination of these elements expresses an important idea in Petra’s work. Power and tenderness are not opposites. Instead, they can exist together in harmony. The strong, mysterious leopard and the delicate flower share the same space, creating a visual balance between strength and fragility.
The painting’s mixed media technique using acrylics and water mixable oil paints enhances this message. The vibrant abstract background adds emotional intensity while the carefully painted leopard brings focus and narrative.
Art That Invites Reflection
Petra Verlooij’s work invites viewers to pause and reflect on their relationship with nature. Her paintings celebrate the beauty of animals while also hinting at deeper meanings about life, balance, and coexistence.
Through her unique process of combining abstraction with figurative elements, she creates compositions that feel alive with color, movement, and symbolism. Whether depicting a powerful predator resting in a tree or leaving a canvas purely abstract, Petra allows each painting to evolve organically.
Her lifelong dedication to art as a teacher, mentor, and painter continues to inspire both her students and those who encounter her work. With every canvas, Petra Verlooij reveals the quiet poetry of the natural world and reminds us that strength, beauty, and fragility can exist together in perfect harmony.
