Dick Haakman

Bergen is a small village at the North Sea in Holland. Many artist settled there in the twenties. As a young boy I was attracted to the atmosphere of their studio. Some instructed me in the art of water coloring.
In 1957 I left for California as a mechanical draughtsman . Some years later I resigned and took courses at the Los Angeles Academy of Art. Shortly after I enjoyed my first one-man show at the Boman Gallery in Hollywood.
In this period I did some work in commercial advertising, illustrating ‘Show and Tell” films, greeting cards and children books all in acryl and I spent a lot of time studying the techniques of the old masters as described by Jacques Maroger, which was also a good basis for the restoration of old paintings.
For 25 years I lived in Los Angeles, Malibu, the hills near Yosemite Park and Texas painting landscapes, flowers, still lifes and portraits in oil.
Although I am hesitant to submit a painting to competition, unless it competes with my own work and I am the judge, I won a prize for a still life on the Laredo Art Festival, Texas.
In 1978 I went back to Holland, traveled in Germany, England, Spain and France and painted mostly figurative and fantasy. After I met my wife, pianist Mascha, I made m...

L.A. Academy and private lessons in the Netherlands and California.

over the last 50 years in Los Angeles,
Malibu, Texas, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Germany, England, Italy, France and the Netherlands.