artist portrait
Tabitha Boekweit
Gentle Power in Color and Chaos
Tabitha Boekweit is currently working from home—or as she calls it, “just my little corner.” No large studio for now, but instead a labradoodle, coffee in the sun, and a house full of creative energy. She describes herself as a lifelong, “hysterical” drawer—always scribbling, doodling, making. Her paintings act as emotional archives: layered, colorful, mixed media. Not created to hold onto, but rather to release.
“I put them out of sight for a while, look at them again later, maybe add a little something extra—and then I let them go.”
1. The modern woman is your muse. Why does that resonate with you so deeply?
“My mother passed away when I was seventeen, but she’s still my biggest role model. The way she lived—gentle and strong at the same time, grounded, loving—that shaped me. My grandmother was the same. She was always there for me, quietly, without many words. That nonverbal strength, that unconditional love.
It wasn’t ‘normal’ in the sense of average or obvious. They were intentional, hard-working, and inspiring. They pushed me, in the best possible way. My mother used to say, ‘You like drawing—maybe art school is something for you?’ That’s what I call gentle power. And that’s what I try to capture in the women I paint.”
2. What excites you most in your artistic practice?
“Conversations about art—especially about women in art. That’s where something sparks. I was selected for the Women in Art program in Amsterdam a while ago, and it felt like coming home. Going to lectures and museums like the Rijksmuseum with other female artists, then thinking, talking, and sharing ideas together—it’s deeply inspiring.
I also loved learning how women throughout art history were creating so much, yet often got overlooked. Pushed aside by their male peers, barely visible in the books—even though they were there. And how! Those stories move me and stay with me for a long time.
I’ve come to realize that women and art are a red thread in everything I do, everything I read, everything that triggers me. It energizes me and helps me understand my own role as a creator. And honestly? It just feels really good to have unfiltered conversations with other women.”
3. Do you have any rituals before starting your work?
“Not a specific or clear ritual. But I do need a little bit of order in the chaos—because I’m already chaotic enough myself. My creative corner is sacred. Since home and studio have merged, my partner and son set up a special little space just for me. Super sweet… though maybe also a subtle hint.”
4. What advice would you give your younger self?
“It might sound cliché, but: follow your heart. Truly. Don’t listen to what others think or expect. If you believe in something, trust that feeling. It doesn’t have to be perfect—you just have to start. If your intention is genuine, everything else will follow.”