Interview with: Frode Bolhuis
Frode Bolhuis is a Netherlands based polymer clay artist, who creates the most unusual, vibrant and unique miniature sculptures that have swiftly amassed worldwide attention. These wonderfully whimsical figures are primarily made up of self-mixed polymer clays, adorned in an array of garments, accessories and objects hand crafted from a range of textiles, plastics, metals, wood, and all finished with bright pigmented paint. These figures somehow feel united/grouped together - a Bolhuis Tribe and yet simultaneously there is a sense of each one being in an entire world of it’s own…
Frode’s drive and desire to create has been engrained from an early age. His father was a talented and skilled sculptor; spending days watching his father work in the studio proved to be a nurturing and creative environment that played a pivotal role in his life. Frode’s early career saw him developing large scale sculptures within parks, hospitals, schools and governmental spaces, with some ‘smaller’ projects focusing on designing furniture and lighting, all the while shifting focus on the miniature scale. It took almost twenty years for Frode to go full circle, and get back to his ultimate passion of creating miniature works. Frode shares his early days in sculpting, the most challenging aspects of working with polymer clay, his inspiration for the chosen colour palette, advice for anyone wanting to work with clay, hobbies outside of his creative work and what it’s like to live in Almere…
Hi Frode! Could you tell us about yourself & your backround?
Hello! I am a son of a sculptor which probably makes a lot of sense! :) Sculpture was always a part of my life… My father worked in commissions a lot - he was just like me, very passionate about his craft. I saw magic in what he was doing... It was tough at times and he found it difficult to make money, but he always stayed true to what he was doing. I picked this up from an early age, and it was very clear to me from about 16 years old that I wanted to become a sculptor. I had the opportunity to study sculpting and do an apprenticeship in England, so I moved and did that for two years in a place called Hinhead in Surrey (just outside of London). I also went to a private college one day a week in London alongside my apprenticeship to study sculpting further. I returned to Holland and studied at an art’s college in Groningen. I did my exams there and returned back to Amsterdam.
It’s funny at first I really thought I was going to do the opposite of what I’m doing now. I thought it would be BIG sized projects... and it was for a while.. I was working on many projects that fitted bigger spaces. Bigger public spaces - like hospitals, schools, parks and government spaces. The first 10 years were very much focused on that, along with doing competitions, getting commissions.. but I soon found that alongside the creative part of the work came the meetings, making proposals so a lot of that creativity I loved was starting to fade.. I was happy with the end result but I wasn’t happy in the process and I tried to make the process the most important thing.
Looking back now, the process I really did come to love was making of the ‘mini heads’. I was making smaller miniature things of what the final, (ten times as big thing would be). This is when I found out I really liked making those small things. That’s why I started to make small work really. I enjoyed the process, that joy of making and being in that creative state more of the time.. I’ve worked with galleries, made exhibitions, worked in several scales but for me, I really now mostly make really small work. I make my work in a short time span. It takes roughly 2-3 days to make the sculptures - not too much real labour and I can really explore my creativity. I’m now mainly working through Instagram, showing and selling my work through the platform. Making contacts/connections with people all around the world. It’s brilliant! I’m living in Almere with my wife and three kids. We have a house and studio together - this works out perfectly as I like having time to be with my kids and it’s good for them to be so close, to be with me, see me work, ask me questions, and I can just be there for them whenever I’m needed. It’s more of an organic way of living.
What lead you into working with clay? Are you self-taught or have you learned it from someone else?
I was really attracted to polymer clay because it’s so direct. You don’t have to make any moulds, you just work directly with it and bake straight away which is pretty easy. I love the endless colour possibilities. It’s beautiful. You can mix the clay like you’re mixing paint. You can make almost any colour and you can work with them directly and know they will stay that colour, as opposed to working with real clay - where you have to mix your own glazes but you also don’t really have the hand over how the colour will actually turn out during the baking process.
I’m pretty much self taught - I have been taught sculpture, however not the use of polymer clay which is the basis of my work. I’m still finding out and getting better at it… finding all those tricks…
How would you define the style of your work and how did it develop?
Ooooft difficult one, how would I describe my style.. I think there is definitely a surreal element in it? It’s a mixture of all the things I love. I have a great love for Ancient sculptures, Greek, Persian, Egyptian, African tribal sculptures.. the sort of simplicity in those.. and then of course renaissance which had some absolutely stunning works! And of course the sculptures of today - so diverse and a lot of beautiful things happening everywhere... so it’s a mix of all of those! Something from all around the world! And I have had people tell me my work reminds them of Moebius by Jean Giraud. That twisted surrealism you know? And others see an influence of cartoons.. french cartoons like Tin Tin. There is simplicity and quirkiness in those drawings, which I guess are seen in my work too. Perhaps its the relatability, with the various influences I have in my work that makes my work so attractive to people? There is something for everyone - I try to make my work connect to something about humanity. And perhaps that’s why it has something unique to it. I wonder how YOU would describe my work? :)
The colours and textures of your pieces are one of a kind—how did you develop your own colour palette and how or/& does it change with time?
Yes. I wonder if it’s choice… what I see around me has it’s own colour palette. And this is mine. And it comes naturally. I don’t force it - but then again I don’t think I’d be able to actually. Of course, my colour palette does change over time slightly. It becomes a bit more refined and by doing more of my sculptures - I see more things, I see more colour combinations. I learn as I go and therefore it refines and becomes broader... I can see its quite unique that these colours are used in sculptural work, and well that helps! It has a freshness that I love. It’s very much what I love that comes in. And that comes with the colour too.
Which materials fascinate you the most except for clay? Are there any other materials that you have not worked with but would like to try out?
I’m fascinated with textiles and tactility. I think you can see that through my work. There is quite a bit of textiles happening.. I also love materials that have something precious to it. Like beautiful stones.. like gold and silver, and I try and use that.. I’m quite sure if would focus more in that direction, I would incorporate a lot more of that in my work.
I’m actually going to be working with a textiles company to design my own textiles, which I’m very excited about. I can also imagine that I’ll start working more with real clay too, venture into more ceramics focused projects. I haven’t had much experience with that, so I know it’ll be a complete new study, but something I would love to do in the near future… Lots of things develop naturally in my work, so perhaps within half a year something else might just come up! More precious metals and stones I’d definitely like to incorporate and to operate in my work.
What is the most challenging thing about working with Clay?
Working with polymer clay - it has to be the scale and volume that I’ve chosen to work with.. because if the work becomes too BIG - or the volume of it becomes too much - it starts to shrink and crack…so I always have to find a way to make my sculptures not too big, and always have to concentrate with volumes. I have to use a filler that connects so the work doesn’t become too thick. Always a very mindful process. Clay is a very vulnerable material and for me the shrinking part is always one of the biggest problems.
What advice would you give to other clay makers out there?
Experiment with it. It’s such a lovely material - experiment and find your own way of working with it. I’m quite sure there are hundreds of ways to work with it. Look up the polymer clay community online - it’s so diverse! There are so many wonderful broad ways of working with it, and it’s not very expensive. Like with anything, do lots of experimentation before you commit yourself to do something.
What are your other hobbies and what do you do when you’re not claying around?
I’ve actually started a community out here in Holland.. the place where I reside with my wife and kids - we have 9 houses on a shared plot of land. It’s an interesting part where we live Almere, there are more and more of these kind of projects developing. It does take a lot of time, working together, caring for the garden, for the house and studios and caring for each others houses and studios. This is a big part of my life. Of course, also taking care of my family. That is as much of a focus as my art. I have a son of 12, a daughter of 16 and a daughter of 6, and they all have their own lives. And like many fathers do, I bring them to football, and bring them to school… so it’s very much about family for me, about the area we live in and living together, and making that beautiful together with people around me. and yes, doing the art. This is what I do and I love, that’s it! :)
What is your favourite sweet thing, and why?
That is a difficult question… I’m not much of a sweet tooth… no, actually not completely true! I do like sweets and most of all I love all kinds of chocolate. (laughs) Ahhh, I’m going to have to look this up… (keyboard sounds can be heard) what I do love the most… it’s a kind of cake.. that I believe is Dutch.. I’m currently looking for a translation for it (more clicking sounds) it’s with an abundance of cream inside, and it’s cakey and covered in chocolate. Right…Morkoppen! It’s a cream puff but it’s slightly bigger and it has a lot of chocolate on it. So it’s very sweet… Yes I’m ‘not a sweet tooth’ (laughs). It’s just very delicious and I think why I love it that much is because I used to get these on special occasions when I was young. Usually on my birthdays, so I guess it still reminds me of that. It’s called Morkoppen and the name is actually something I believe you’re not allowed to say anymore? It is seen as a derogatory term linking to the Moors tribe in east Africa.. won’t get into that too much…! err so yeah terrible association / background with the name but one very very delicious cream puff.
What is Almere like… any places you would recommend visiting?
Come to our neighbourhood!
Oosterwold is a major project that was developed in cooperation with the city of Almere. We were given the opportunity to develop our own plot of land. There are many projects like this happening here… You always have to use some sort of farming, we call it ‘city farming’ in it. You have to buy some land, and one of the most important parts of the design venture is to create some sort of vegetable garden. Urban agriculture being one of the most important parts to this development. We live together with a group of people; we build and take care of the land and slowly this is becoming a very lively neighbourhood. Organically grown and really quite unique.
Almere is actually a very young city. It is only roughly around 45 years old. So there is a lot of new architecture - new ways and ideas of building the city. Trying to make neighbourhoods work. Of course, some worked and some didn’t. Some terrible parts of Almere, and some very wonderful. But it’s all new. All on reclaimed land. The land before was at the bottom of sea! I't’s a lovely bit of Holland. We have some wonderful land art as well. Just taking a walk around the city and seeing how it evolved in such a short time span. I't’s quite a big city now, that has a population of almost 300,000 living here.
What are your plans for the rest of the day?
Well today, I’m actually helping out a neighbour - one of his doors doesn’t open very well. I have to do some re-touching of photos I’ve taken of recent work, and I might do a bit of clay modelling... but it’s already afternoon so I probably won’t get round to that! So - helping neighbours! I do most of my artwork in the mornings anyway - and afternoons are spent doing things that need to be done in and around the house and with children.
Thank you Frode! 🥨
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