Femme Fatale by Coraline Bäcker

A beautifully large work (50x60cm) by Coraline Bäcker, 

Coraline lives for color and form. Her talent for drawing and painting has been evident for many years, sometimes expressed in a very precise style, other times more loosely. At times exuberant, at others detailed and exact. From pen drawings in Indian ink to blue nudes in acrylic, from vibrant floral watercolors to expressive oil landscapes.

Botanical Illustrator
Coraline has been painting since the age of thirteen. She received watercolor lessons from Jelle Willems and studied fine arts in Arnhem, where she was taught by Fred Sieger and learned graphic techniques from Harry van Kruiningen. For several years, she also worked at the Agricultural University in Wageningen as a botanical illustrator, where she honed her skills in creating detailed depictions of natural subjects.

Over more than forty years, Coraline has experimented with many techniques, various formats, and countless approaches. Her work ethic and focus have led her to create hundreds of paintings, many of which have been reproduced as screen prints, lithographs, or posters. Coraline’s work has been exhibited both in the Netherlands and abroad, and her art has appeared in several magazines and books. For a long time, watercolor was her specialty, and her floral still lifes in watercolor can now be found worldwide.

Freedom in Color
This extensive experience has not only brought technical expertise but also a sense of freedom in her painting. Whatever the subject, Coraline’s keen sense of color is evident, whether on paper or canvas. Flowers and plants have always been a favorite subject, and that passion is clear in her work.

The most important lesson she teaches her students is how to truly observe. “Look through your eyelashes,” she says. “Where does the shadow fall? How many shades can you find in a single leaf? The longer you look this way, the more colors you’ll see.” Coraline has learned to see more colors than most can imagine, and she shares this way of seeing the world through her art.