VAN KASTJE NAAR CANVASJE
2024
VLEUTENSEWEG
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STUDIO MAUREEN MOLKENBOER
I’m Maureen Molkenboer. I’m an illustrator based in Utrecht, The Netherlands. My style has once been described as bold disco glamour and I love that.
You can recognize my work by exaggerated highlights, bright colors, sparkling eyes and powerful portraits. I use a limited color pallet, but with the bright colors I use, there is no need for more. I’m inspired by streetstyle. I get my inspiration from walking the streets of big cities.
My work includes digital illustrations, portrait illustrations, riso prints and editorial work.
The story behind the artwork
I didn’t draw my inspiration from one neighborhood story, but from the neighborhood as a whole. I wanted to showcase the diversity of the area and highlight the people who make it colorful, diverse, and authentic—but also, importantly, to normalize them. The people who live there aren’t a statement or something unusual. They’re simply a natural part of the streetscape, and that’s what I wanted to capture in my work.
How did the painting go?
While painting, people often asked if I was making a political statement. My answer was always, “No, I just want to create something beautiful—but feel free to interpret it however you like. The artwork is from me to you and for the neighborhood, and you’re welcome to decide what it means to you.”
The best part was the many people cycling by who called out how much they liked the work. I brought my earbuds every day to listen to music while painting, but barely used them because I had so many interactions. The box is on a busy street, and everyone who passed by on foot or by bike took the time to give compliments or ask questions about the work.
The moment that stood out most for me was when, after an interview with RTV Utrecht, someone made a beautiful LinkedIn post that perfectly captured the spirit of my work:
💕 Just creating something beautiful 💕
“This makes me happy: an artist painting a Muslim woman in a headscarf. It’s part of Thirty030’s project to beautify utility boxes around Utrecht.
This box is located on Vleutenseweg, in the Lombok neighborhood. Maureen Molkenboer draws inspiration from the neighborhood and its many Islamic residents. And it’s not political: “I’m just creating something beautiful.”
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