ABOUT

Walter was born in Antwerp in 1963.  An only son, he grew up in a family of artists. His father Willem, grandfather Victor and great-uncle Denis were all painters, each with their own distinct style.

Walter’s mother Yvonne was a very artistic, inspirational woman, whose poetry was greatly appreciated by Walter’s great-grandfather, the celebrated author Willem Elsschot.  

Walter had been widely expected to tread in the footsteps of his illustrious ancestors, but initially there was little to suggest that he would.

Instead, he graduated as a printer, a line of work he would pursue for 6 years, first with the Antwerp provincial authorities and subsequently a bank.  

In the early 1990s however, Walter was confronted with a concurrence of circumstances that would radically change his life:

– Father Willem, never one to shy away from a challenge, agreed to do lead vocals on a single by the aptly named house music band “So What?”

One of the musicians asked Walter to design the CD-sleeve.  He gladly obliged, didn’t just produce a sketch, but worked out an intricately detailed paining instead.  

– It suddenly dawned on Walter that the countdown to retirement, as he slowly withered away behind a copier in the basement of the bank, would last another 36 desperately dreary years.

– The third decisive factor was the illness that had been increasingly affecting his grandfather Victor.  After the highly successful CD-cover experiment, Walter promised him that he would try to make it as a painter.  

In 1992, after some (not-so-careful) deliberation with his wife Inge, Walter waved goodbye to his printing career to devote himself to full time painting.  

It would prove to be exactly the right move.

Walter’s new life as an artist got off to a flying start, despite his preference for excruciatingly tricky subjects: complex cityscapes with special focus on decrepit facades, ramshackle doors and rickety gates…

Still, expectations were high, as Walter felt the burden of Willem’s and Victor’s reputation of technical excellence.  So, with the precision of a seasoned surgeon and the patience of a saint, he would detail every nook and cranny, and to grand effect.

Gradually, his paintings evolved to trompe l’oeil, cabinets and shelves filled to the brim with objects weathered and worn by time and story-telling still lives, nearly always involving old toys.   

Walter’s paintings invoke wonder because, apart from the technique applied, they have little in common with the familiar genre of still life.  The objects are assembled and arranged with such painstaking precision, often reflecting human behavior, that a tangible tension is created that rests on a healthy dose of subtle humour.  Or is it irony?  

Be that as it may, Walter’s work leaves no one untouched. 

And invariably, it conjures an endearing smile on the face of the spectator.