Walter van Oel is a painter, as a painter he is a colourist but also using real copper, silver, and gold leafs in his art work. Van Oel wants to make visible things that are already there, he wants to paint a link between infinite eternity and profane temporaryness. From the very start of his life as an artist, Van Oel has carried with him the blueprint for an original ability, sensibility, and artistry.
Van Oel was born in 1942 in The Hague, The Netherlands. He was graduated at The Royal Academy of art in The Hague, in 1965. He made more than 50 solo exhibitions and participated in hundred of group exhibitions.
In 2008 he became a “MEMBRE HONORAIRE DU CENTRE ARTISTIQUE et CULTUREL des HALLES” (The eldest art club in Paris).
In 1999 he travelled all over China, after that he painted a new collection that was shown in the JAN VAN DER TOGT MUSEUM, Amstelveen, the Netherlands. Since 2002 he is living and working in Bali most of the time of the year. In 2004 he also exhibited in THE NATIONAL MUSEUM of Indonesia in Jakarta.
His work is also represented at the ARMA museum, the best private museum in Indonesia.
Van Oel has been awarded in 2008 with the gold medal from the city of Paris for his total oeuvre at the Exhibition Espace St. Martin, France (Formal Maestro title). Previous artists who have been awarded with this medal are Karel Appel and Kees van Dongen. In 2008 he has also been awarded with the bronze medal from the Academie Internationale de Lutece, Lettres Art Sciences Philanthrope, Paris for his total oeuvre.
In 2002 he has been awarded with the ASEAN ART AWARD (Philip Morris, Bali).
Walter van Oel is still living and working in both Bali and the Netherlands. You can view his collections here.