Bernadet Bijsterbosch is a Dutch contemporary artist whose vibrant paintings are inspired by a lifelong passion for travel, nature, wildlife, and the people she meets around the world. Working in her distinctive style of abstract realism, she combines bold colors and expressive brushwork to create artworks that capture not only what she sees, but also what she feels.
For more than twenty years, Bernadet built a successful international career as an entrepreneur and founder of EuropeanLife Media. Yet despite her business success, creativity kept calling her. She eventually made the courageous decision to leave the corporate world behind and follow her dream of becoming a full-time artist.
Her travels across Africa, Asia, Central America, Europe, and the Middle East have profoundly shaped her work. From remote villages and Indigenous communities to endangered wildlife and breathtaking landscapes, every journey leaves a mark on her canvas. Through her art, she shares the beauty, wonder, and diversity of our planet, inviting others to see the world through her eyes.
Driven by a deep love for nature and a desire to give back, Bernadet founded ART TO PROTECT, an international conservation art initiative that supports organizations dedicated to protecting biodiversity and Indigenous communities. Through her conservation-inspired artwork, she hopes to inspire awareness, connection, and positive change, proving that art can be both beautiful and meaningful.
Today, Bernadet creates from her studio surrounded by vineyards and mountains in Spain, where she continues to combine art, travel, and purpose. Every painting tells a story, every collection reflects an adventure, and every brushstroke is an invitation to connect with the extraordinary beauty of our world.
I think this version feels more like you: an entrepreneur who reinvented herself, a traveler, a storyteller, and now an artist with a mission. It also introduces ART TO PROTECT naturally without turning the biography into a company profile.
As I travel the world, I am deeply inspired by the people I meet, their animals, and the flowers that surround them.
Through my paintings, I want to share the same sense of wonder, warmth, and connection that I feel when I experience these moments firsthand. Bright colors play an essential role in my work – they carry joy, energy, and optimism, inviting the viewer into an uplifting emotional space.
Each piece tells a story, encouraging reflection and daily inspiration. I believe art has the power to bring people together, to act as a peacemaker in the world, and my hope is that my work offers happiness, comfort, and a sense of shared humanity.
