This month’s art is by artist Maartje Louwers, based in the Netherlands. She is a 23 year old nurse who enjoys illustrating art.  Maartje is a frontline worker during the COVID19 crisis and says illustrating is her time to put her mind to rest.  She says her design "is a representation of time and the circle of day and night. Time can give you so much. It gives you time to heal. Time to think about what you want out of life. And mostly I hope it gives you time to enjoy life.”

For a little more about what inspired this artwork, process, and their life, here's a short Q&A:

Where is home for you?

My home is in the Netherlands.

What is your definition of a successful life?

Being happy and having the people you love close around you.

Describe your perfect day.

A perfect day for me includes hanging with my two cats and my boyfriend, having a nice lunch with friends, (Not at the moment of course.) and preparing a home cooked meal and inviting my family members.

How did you get into design?

I always enjoyed drawing. A few years back I started to do it on a daily basis and improved. I found that sharing it with others gave me joy as well.

Where do you find inspiration?

Mostly in nature, like the waves of the ocean.  As a nurse, I also like to add some anatomy to my illustrations.

What's your dream design project?

One day, I really would like to publish my own children's picture book.

Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you?

I don’t have a specific influencer in mind, but I follow a lot of great artists on Instagram for inspiration and they all have their own unique style.

What was the inspiration behind this design?

This design is a representation of time and the circle of day and night. Time can give you so much. It gives you time to heal. Time to think about what you want out of life. And mostly I hope it gives you time to enjoy life.

In what ways does the theme of Integrity play out in your life?

As a nurse I see a lot of situations where time gets taken away from people. This gets you thinking how precious the time you have is.

At the moment, what is your favorite…

Color: Green

Food: Sushi

Song: This is so hard. My favorite artists are: White Lies, De Staat, Lorde Mumford & Sons, Imagine Dragons. I really can’t choose a song.