Marc van der Zwet (1965) paints in oils on panel. He sculpts his oeuvre from color, light, texture and form. The search for stillness and the interplay of light and shadow are central. Nature is a source of inspiration.

Why do you paint?
'I play with the unpredictable. You start with an idea, and in the end it turns out differently anyway. It is a voyage of discovery on the square centimeter. In my work, chance is important. I often find the suggestion more interesting than the actual representation. Humor makes my work lighter.'

What is that reality then, in your view?
'It is what you make of it. For me, painting is the space for imagination. I love creating something that doesn't yet exist, something that has never been before, searching for the new. I start with nothing. By playing with dark and light shades, color emerges. Texture naturally plays a role too. The idea becomes visible when light falls on it. Oil paint produces a very deep result. That interplay of light and shadow is always exciting. But ultimately I am still searching for stillness. Actually, everything I make is stillness.'