{"id":20482,"date":"2025-11-23T19:13:15","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T19:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20482"},"modified":"2025-11-29T16:57:57","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T16:57:57","slug":"painting-backstories-the-defiant-tulip","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20482","title":{"rendered":"Painting Backstories:  The Defiant Tulip"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>My country of origin, The Netherlands, is famous for two things: polders a.k.a. reclaimed land, and fields of tulips. As unbelievable as this may sound to you, I only visited the tulip fields for the first time in 2023. It was quite the experience and I have many photographs remembering the occasion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"710\" height=\"594\" src=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-23-at-10.45.58-AM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-20424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-23-at-10.45.58-AM.png 710w, https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-23-at-10.45.58-AM-300x251.png 300w, https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-23-at-10.45.58-AM-665x556.png 665w, https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-23-at-10.45.58-AM-24x20.png 24w, https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-23-at-10.45.58-AM-36x30.png 36w, https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Screenshot-2025-10-23-at-10.45.58-AM-48x40.png 48w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 710px) 100vw, 710px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:35px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>What struck me during my visit was that, in many of the single-coloured fields, there was always (and I mean: ALWAYS) one flower of a different colour! Usually it was another tulip. But sometimes it was also a dandelion. It looked to me as if that different flower was showing proud defiance. To break up the sea of colour with a single splash of something else: I found it quite funny!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And some years after my visit in 2023 I decided to dedicate a painting to &#8216;the defiant tulip&#8217;. A single yellow flower in a sea of red&#8230; I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:36px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>And as a by the way: when I was part of the Elgin County Studio Tour in September 2025, this painting was the subject of a challenge for the people visiting my studio. I dared them to guess the total number of tulips in it. Many visitors participated, but only 2 of them got very close and 1 won an art print of a painting of mine of their choice. The total number of tulips was&#8230;. 371!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:38px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:38px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Click in the list below to select and view more backstories of my artworks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:38px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-wpb-accordion-menu-or-category-pro-wpb-wmca-shortcode-selector\">\t\t\t<div class=\"wpb_category_n_menu_accordion wpb_accordion_free_version wpb_wmca_accordion_wrapper_theme_transparent wpb_wmca_keyboard_accessibility_no wpb_the_menu_accordion\" data-shortcode_id=\"20238\" data-accordion=\"true\" data-indicator_icon=\"+\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"menu-backstories\" class=\"wpb_category_n_menu_accordion_list\"><li id=\"menu-item-20495\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-home menu-item-20495\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20229\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20229\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20217\">Back stories home page<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20318\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20318\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20256\">Painting Backstories: A hairy situation\u2026<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20332\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20332\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20322\">Painting Backstories: about lions\u2026. did you know?<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20315\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20315\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20269\">Painting Backstories: About painting landscapes<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20304\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20304\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20296\">Painting Backstories: About sketching<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20232\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20232\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20212\">Painting Backstories: Barn window number 2 \u2013 Painting title: Help!<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20311\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20311\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20279\">Painting Backstories:  City Scenes<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20316\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20316\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20267\">Painting Backstories: Fall ploughing<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20313\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20313\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20273\">Painting Backstories:  Feline frenzy!<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20310\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20310\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20284\">Painting Backstories:  Feline portrait gets the thumbs-up!<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20305\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20305\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20294\">Painting Backstories: Goldfinch with real feathers<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20303\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20303\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20298\">Painting Backstories: How the old masters approached a portrait<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20237\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20237\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20201\">Painting Backstories: Humba the Lion<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20335\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20335\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20333\">Painting Backstories: My fascination with the wild konik horse<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20306\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20306\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20292\">Painting Backstories: Nedah; ethnic portrait<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20319\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20319\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20261\">Painting Backstories: Not all portraits take long!<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20231\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20231\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20214\">Painting Backstories: Palomino<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20309\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20309\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20286\">Painting Backstories:  Say cheese! brings levity to the studio<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20312\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20312\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20275\">Painting Backstories:  Shoe Standoff<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20314\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20314\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20271\">Painting Backstories:  Sunbeam child sequel<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20484\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20484\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20482\">Painting Backstories:  The Defiant Tulip<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20235\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20235\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20205\">Painting Backstories: the barncat \u2013 the importance of the right frame for a painting<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20321\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20321\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20263\">Painting Backstories: The goslings<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20233\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20233\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20210\">Painting Backstories: The headless hunter a.k.a. The unsuccessful foxhunt<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20317\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20317\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20265\">Painting Backstories: The kissable mouth<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20230\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20230\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20227\">Painting Backstories: The leg-selfie<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20331\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20331\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20328\">Painting Backstories:  The \u2018loving\u2019 sea turtle<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20234\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20234\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20208\">Painting Backstories: The Moody Monk<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20308\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20308\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20288\">Painting Backstories: The shepherd and the unflappable sheep: evolution of a painting<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20307\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20307\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20290\">Painting Backstories: The warrior; an ethnic portrait<\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-20236\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-20236\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20203\">Painting Backstories: \u2018Ustad\u2019 a.k.a. T24<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:38px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My country of origin, The Netherlands, is famous for two things: polders a.k.a. reclaimed land, and fields of tulips. As unbelievable as this may sound to you, I only visited the tulip fields for the first time in 2023. It was quite the experience and I have many photographs remembering the occasion. What struck me during my visit\u2026 <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?page_id=20482\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":20217,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/full-width.php","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-20482","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"coauthors":[],"author_meta":{"author_link":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/?author=1","display_name":"Nicky"},"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 5 months ago","modified":"Updated 5 months ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on ","modified":"Updated on "},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on  ","modified":"Updated on  "},"featured_img_caption":"","featured_img":false,"series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20482","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20482"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20482\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20490,"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20482\/revisions\/20490"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/20217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iamnow.today\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}