Past & present

All humans have a history and all humans share a common past. Whether we like it or not. This

history can be a source of inspiration and a means to contemplate. Although history cannot really

teach us how to live and how to act, we can study how the past compares to us. And so I started

looking into the past - and got addicted.

I have studied history at Utrecht University and was trained afterwards to become a teacher. I

have been teaching for over 12 years at a bilingual (Dutch/English) stream at secondary school

level. Although I have always considered teaching a wonderful job (never a dull moment at a

secondary school), and grateful for my chances to teach, I decided four years ago to broaden my

horizon and to dedicate a part of my time to art.

Both history and art history have been a starting point for many of my paintings. Mostly in

combination: artists are firmly embedded in their time. Otto Dix cannot be studied nor understood

without a reasonable understanding of the First World War and Weimar Germany.

Apart from history I found that I also needed to vocalize a lifelong antipathy against the meat

industry. 

The remaining of the days I tried to be a good husband to my dear wife Claartje, and to not

forget to regularly feed our cat called Ollie. After my graduation at the HKU I hope to become a

better husband, a good father, a more loyal petowner and an inspired painter. And maybe even

become a better history teacher.

Personalia

K. M. Slothouwer

07 April 1975

lives in Utrecht, Netherlands

Work

2001 - ...             History teacher 

Education

2009 - 2013         Hogeschool der Kunsten Utrecht (Bachelor of Fine Art)

1993 - 1999         Rijks Universiteit Utrecht (MA History)

1987 - 1993         't Wagenings Lyceum (VWO)