Meet Maartje Stapel.

A Dutch artist, graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, living and working in Amsterdam. Her practice revolves around the white square, a form she feels deeply connected to, which she uses to elicit emotional response. In her recent work, she explores white, barren textiles and what she describes as emotional formality, or formal emotionality.

Daily Ritual.

My evening routine is very important to me. After a day in the studio, I enjoy taking a workout class and then go home for a cozy meal. After dinner, my quite strict routine starts. I take a very hot shower and slip into a warm set of pyjamas with a cozy sweater.

I get into my quiet, white, square bed with white sheets. Before going to sleep, I always try to read something. Beside me is a cup of tea in a white porcelain cup and a snack or some fruit in a white porcelain bowl.

Being surrounded by beautiful materials and shapes helps me clear my mind and process the day. This routine is essential for me, as my head tends to overflow without it.

Female Flow.

My studio is the place where I best find that flow. I am very sensitive to the surroundings I work in, and my studio is clean and serene. I am surrounded by works I created over the past year, pieces I feel deeply connected to. Being among them makes me feel comfortable and at home.

Sometimes they serve a meditative, calming purpose, and at other times they remind me of what I have done and what I would still like to do. It feels important to keep remembering where I came from and where I want to go next.

Female Inspiration.

One of my all-time favorite artists is Agnes Martin. I have only seen her work in real life a few times, but each encounter has left a deep impression on me. I find her work and precision profoundly moving.

When I graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, my parents gave me a book with an overview of almost all her work, along with copies of personal notes from her studio. It is one of the most precious things I own.