Artist Feature and Interview
Liesbeth De Pauw (Belgium)
"Pulsation," Acrylic paint pour on canvas, 60 x 60 cm
"My work explores subtle journeys of self-discovery, reflection, and inner harmony. Through painting, drawing, and printmaking, I layer color, form, and texture to reveal the delicate interplay between inner life and outer experience.
I approach peace not as the absence of conflict, but as a sustaining inner presence — something that allows us to remain grounded during uncertainty and to heal beneath life’s storms.
My work often lingers in moments of stillness, rhythm, and return, where acceptance and resilience quietly unfold. In a world marked by tension and division, I see art as a shared space of slowing down — a place where contemplation opens the possibility for empathy, calm, and common ground.
Even within tension and inner struggle, moments of awareness and reflection create openings for peace."
"Suspended Breath," Acrylic paint on canvas, 50 cm x 50 cm
🎤What unique challenges have shaped you most as an artist?🎤
"One of the greatest challenges has been learning to trust quiet work in a world that often rewards noise. My practice is rooted in stillness, in subtle shifts rather than dramatic gestures. There were moments when I questioned whether this softness could hold enough weight.
Painting, printmaking, and drawing have become my visible language — a way of communicating without words.
Another challenge has been navigating the tension between vulnerability and strength. Much of my work grows from personal reflection — from carrying, from pausing, from not immediately resolving what feels heavy. Allowing that space to exist without rushing to clarity has shaped me deeply as an artist.
Over time, I’ve come to understand that restraint can be powerful, and that silence itself can speak."
"Leave the World Behind," Acrylic paint on canvas, 90 cm x 70 cm
🎤Where does your love of painting come from?🎤
"My love of painting comes from the physical dialogue between body and surface. The slow building of layers, the resistance of material, and the moment when something intangible becomes visible — this process feels almost meditative. In those moments, there is no longer an ‘I’, only a dialogue between hands, heart, mind, and canvas.
Even in printmaking, a similar rhythm emerges: pressure, repetition, imprint. I am drawn to processes that require presence. For me, creating is not about producing an image, but about entering a state of attention.
Painting and printmaking allow me to translate internal experiences into something quietly tangible."
"Bittersweet," Acrylic paint on canvas, 120 cm x 70 cm
🎤What is the most frustrating part of your creative process?🎤
🎤How do you work through these struggles?🎤
"The most frustrating part is often the in-between stage — when a work is neither resolved nor clearly failing. That suspended space can feel uncomfortable.
Instead of forcing resolution, I’ve learned to step back. Sometimes I physically turn the work around in my studio. Sometimes I leave it for days, or even weeks. Distance allows clarity to return. When the inner tension shifts, it can sometimes make it hard to continue a certain work carrying a different energy.
The best approach is to wait until my energy feels compatible again with the energy of the unfinished piece. If another work calls, I might start that first — there is a natural flow this way, I believe.
I’ve come to see frustration not as a problem, but as a signal that the work is asking for deeper listening."
Wings of Becoming, reduction linoprint on Steinbach Aurora, 23 cm x 15.7 cm (print), 32 x 22.5 cm (paper),
🎤How do you balance experimentation and style?🎤
"I don’t consciously try to maintain a single style. What remains consistent is my inner language — themes of weight, stillness, tension, and quiet strength.
Experimentation happens through material, scale, or process. But the core questions and search remain the same. Because of that, the work evolves naturally without losing coherence. For me, authenticity is not repetition — it is continuity of intention.
I obtained a Master in Painting, yet at some point the pencils called again, and later printmaking. Experimenting has become a steady part of my practice. Each technique and material brings its own qualities, feel, and benefits to the work."
