About the Art Couple...
Gian Michael Merlevede (*1973)
Belgian-Swiss painter specialized in acrylics, now also painting with oils.
Education: Graphic designer and art historian.
Lives and works in Erdeborn, Germany.
1989-1991 Preparatory Art Study - Senior High School of St. Lucas Pavilion (Antwerp, Belgium)
1991-1995 St. Lucas University College of Art and Design Antwerp (Antwerp, Belgium)
1995-2000 Art Sciences (Specialty: Art History), Ghent University (Ghent, Belgium)
2001-2002 Preparational Year of Study in Art Philosophy - Institute for Christian Studies (Toronto, Canada)
For Gian painting is all about finding expression through new visual metaphors.
He likes to artisticly convey fresh insights about his spiritual journey with the personal God who is.
Though he is a church dropout, he sticks to the One.
He wrestles for the Blessing, and this relentless vision radiates throughout his body of artwork.
Simone Distler (*1982)
German painting artist.
Education: Fashion Designer. Graduation in 'painting' at the University of Art and Design Burg Giebichenstein.
Lives and works in Erdeborn, Germany.
1999 - 2002 Fashion Design and Pattern Making (Aschaffenburg, Germany)
2002 - 2008 Works as a pattern maker for 'Authentic Style' (Marktbreit, Germany)
2008 - 2009 Preparational Visual Arts Education - Haller Art Academy (Schwäbisch Hall, Germany)
2009 - 2014 Study in 'Painting' under Prof. Ute Pleuger - University of Art and Design 'Burg Giebichenstein' (Halle-Saale, Germany)
2014 - 2016 Masterclass under Prof. Ute Pleuger (in German the female master-class student is called: "Meisterschülerin")
The urge to express herself through artistic means defined Simone already as a child.
Life itself is what grounds Simone's expressive artwork. It's all about experiencing, searching, defining.
As such her artwork is about grasping the elusive and intangible.
The viewer is invited to partake in questioning and defining humanity and the God-experience.
Hope and joyfulness are paired with brokenness and contrition.
This search for artistic expression has been hers since her youth. Starting off as an autodidact she found nourishment on her journey through occasional workshops and art courses. Continually extracting personal insights through books and exchanges with other artists.
She prefers working with mixed media techniques on paper or canvas.
In line with that, she carries the experimental close to heart through a variety of mediums: from acrylics to watercolours or ink.
A major part of her creative ventures takes 'immediate perceiving' centre stage.
It's about apprehending things a new way. Sneaking up on ideas and shaping a visual "message".
Simone's creative process is all about engaging freely with different mediums. Attempting to capture what was 'seen' or felt. Next to simply finding further self-expression.
Belgian-Swiss painter specialized in acrylics, now also painting with oils.
Education: Graphic designer and art historian.
Lives and works in Erdeborn, Germany.
1989-1991 Preparatory Art Study - Senior High School of St. Lucas Pavilion (Antwerp, Belgium)
1991-1995 St. Lucas University College of Art and Design Antwerp (Antwerp, Belgium)
1995-2000 Art Sciences (Specialty: Art History), Ghent University (Ghent, Belgium)
2001-2002 Preparational Year of Study in Art Philosophy - Institute for Christian Studies (Toronto, Canada)
For Gian painting is all about finding expression through new visual metaphors.
He likes to artisticly convey fresh insights about his spiritual journey with the personal God who is.
Though he is a church dropout, he sticks to the One.
He wrestles for the Blessing, and this relentless vision radiates throughout his body of artwork.
Simone Distler (*1982)
German painting artist.
Education: Fashion Designer. Graduation in 'painting' at the University of Art and Design Burg Giebichenstein.
Lives and works in Erdeborn, Germany.
1999 - 2002 Fashion Design and Pattern Making (Aschaffenburg, Germany)
2002 - 2008 Works as a pattern maker for 'Authentic Style' (Marktbreit, Germany)
2008 - 2009 Preparational Visual Arts Education - Haller Art Academy (Schwäbisch Hall, Germany)
2009 - 2014 Study in 'Painting' under Prof. Ute Pleuger - University of Art and Design 'Burg Giebichenstein' (Halle-Saale, Germany)
2014 - 2016 Masterclass under Prof. Ute Pleuger (in German the female master-class student is called: "Meisterschülerin")
The urge to express herself through artistic means defined Simone already as a child.
Life itself is what grounds Simone's expressive artwork. It's all about experiencing, searching, defining.
As such her artwork is about grasping the elusive and intangible.
The viewer is invited to partake in questioning and defining humanity and the God-experience.
Hope and joyfulness are paired with brokenness and contrition.
This search for artistic expression has been hers since her youth. Starting off as an autodidact she found nourishment on her journey through occasional workshops and art courses. Continually extracting personal insights through books and exchanges with other artists.
She prefers working with mixed media techniques on paper or canvas.
In line with that, she carries the experimental close to heart through a variety of mediums: from acrylics to watercolours or ink.
A major part of her creative ventures takes 'immediate perceiving' centre stage.
It's about apprehending things a new way. Sneaking up on ideas and shaping a visual "message".
Simone's creative process is all about engaging freely with different mediums. Attempting to capture what was 'seen' or felt. Next to simply finding further self-expression.