We met Ytje at the Illustration Biennale to discuss her artistic philosophy, her approach to the creative process, and how she integrates new technologies into her art practice, continually pushing the boundaries of traditional and digital media.&nbsp;Q: How do you personally define creativity?Ytje Veenstra (YV): “Creativity is essentially about problem-solving. I firmly believe that if you want to be creative, you must keep an open mind: be open to new ideas and listen to others.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Creativity isn't about waiting; it's about engaging actively with your medium. It's about showing up and dealing with whatever the day brings—good or bad.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Q: Many believe creativity is an innate gift. What’s your stance? Can it be taught or enhanced?YV: “I think that creativity can be taught and nurtured. The myth of the solitary artist waiting for the Muse to strike is both outdated and damaging. Creativity isn't about waiting; it's about engaging actively with your medium. It's about showing up and dealing with whatever the day brings—good or bad. The more you engage in the process, the more you can enhance your creative abilities. This persistence, the continual effort, is what fosters creativity, not some fleeting moment of inspiration.”&nbsp;Q: Sounds a little bit like that other myth: that one has to suffer for one’s art.YV: “I’m intrigued by the raw struggle that comes with creativity and the making of art. And it can be a struggle. For me, the process is where the magic happens, so I wouldn’t call it suffering for my art. It’s just that I value the act of creation, often more than the finished piece.”

Q: Can you expand your emphasis on the creative process over the outcome?YV: “It’s a philosophy that helps me stay focused and less fearful of making mistakes. Mistakes and happy accidents are inevitable, and instead of errors, I view them as invaluable learning opportunities. Each project teaches me something new about myself and my craft, regardless of how it ends.”&nbsp;Q: But as an artist, you don’t sell your process; you sell an end product. There’s some tension there, or not?YV: “For me, it’s all related to striving for uniqueness. Authenticity is paramount in my creations. I believe true art should stir strong emotions and provoke thought, not just please aesthetically. It should challenge viewers, pull back curtains to reveal hidden layers, and invite diverse interpretations. I aim for my work to be a dialogue, not a monologue.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Every tool or platform I use must serve the story I’m telling. The message should drive the medium choice, not vice versa.”</h1></blockquote>

Q: Let’s shift gears: you transitioned from illustration to VR at one point, which must have been a significant shift. How did you first get involved with virtual reality?YV: “My journey into VR started when Tamara Shogaolu contacted me from Ado Ato Pictures. She introduced me to a project that involved telling poignant, real-life stories through a new medium. This shift wasn't just about adopting a new technology and a new way of telling stories. VR allows for a more immersive experience, pulling the audience directly into the narrative world in a way traditional media can't.”&nbsp;<div class="raw-html-embed"><iframe width="800" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5p1vy7vQNwU?si=6X8JGfHALUy_fYy3" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>&nbsp;Q: With new technologies constantly emerging, how do digital platforms influence creativity?YV: “Digital platforms are reshaping how we create and consume art. They break down geographical and economic barriers, allowing artists to reach global audiences and find previously inaccessible niches. However, every tool or platform I use must serve the story I’m telling. The message should drive the medium choice, not vice versa.”

Q: The blend of art and technology can be complex. How do you navigate these waters?YV: “The key is to stay informed and adaptable. I experiment with new tools to understand their potential and limitations. It's crucial to remain a student of art and technology, continually learning and evolving. By doing so, I ensure that my use of technology enhances my artistic expression rather than overshadowing it.”&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>"Technology is just one part of the equation—your unique voice and vision make your work resonate.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Q: Finally, what advice would you give to artists navigating the complexities of modern technologies and creative expression?YV: “Stay curious and open-minded. Embrace new technologies but remain critical and discerning. Understand what each tool can offer your practice, and think critically about how it enhances or detracts from your artistic message. And remember, technology is just one part of the equation—your unique voice and vision make your work resonate.”

&nbsp;This interview was conducted at the Illustratie Biënnale Haarlem, the illustration and graphic art festival. We’re proud to call the Biennale one of our partners. For more articles and design challenges check back soon.&nbsp;<a href="www.illustratiebiennale.nl">www.illustratiebiennale.nl</a>&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/biennaleposter_3532e453e6.jpeg" alt="biennaleposter" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_biennaleposter_3532e453e6.jpeg 156w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_biennaleposter_3532e453e6.jpeg 500w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/medium_biennaleposter_3532e453e6.jpeg 750w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/large_biennaleposter_3532e453e6.jpeg 1000w," sizes="100vw">

portrytje.png

Ytje Veenstra is an internationally renowned VR artist, animator, and illustrator with a career that spans a diverse array of mediums and styles. Educated in illustration, Veenstra's work is deeply research-based, drawing on a rich tapestry of pop culture references and a keen observance of everyday life.&nbsp;From her early days sketching with pencil through her explorations in papercuts and pigment-based markers, she has continually evolved. Now, she focuses on creating digital art and immersive environments in Virtual Reality. But Ytje's signature style shines consistently, no matter the medium.

BEYOND THE CANVAS: YTJE VEENSTRA ON THE FUSION OF ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND CREATIVITY

Chances are that, at one point or another, you’ve seen one of those blooper videos of someone trying on a VR headset for the first time before accidentally walking into a wall or hitting the ground face-first. Hilarious as these videos might be, their importance lies in the fact that they demonstrate just how good VR is at deceiving the human brain. "When you wear a VR headset, you have to work incredibly hard to convince your brain that you are not standing on a tall building because your stomach reacts as if that were the case. That is the power of VR on the emotional brain," says Margryt Fennema, Co-Founder of <a href="www.reducept.com">Reducept</a>, a company specializing in digital pain treatment.&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>“Virtual Reality therapy has a major effect on the emotional brain.”</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Fennema explains that pain treatment in the Western world is highly medicalized: “You get some sort of pill, often with addictive properties, which numbs you to the experience of pain, but the root cause of the pain is not addressed." And that is a problem because pain is sensory and emotional: besides identifiable tissue damage, there is always an experiential component. "Your feelings and behavior towards pain impact the intensity of your pain. Most physical damage takes about three months to heal, but after that time, the experience of pain persists or even becomes more intense," says Fennema. The culprit, once again, is the emotional brain. However, paradoxically, this is also where the solution lies.&nbsp;Fennema: “Virtual Reality therapy has a major effect on the emotional brain. With VR therapy, you, as a patient, are taken by the hand, or better yet, by the head, and we make you walk through a brain so you can learn and recognize pain patterns. The therapy influences your emotional brain so that you end up experiencing less pain.” So far, the results are impressive, although it’s important to note that VR therapy isn’t for everyone. Fennema: “Some people are more receptive to it than others. Some people like to learn by experiencing things, while others prefer a more theoretical approach. That’s why besides VR therapy, we also offer more traditional therapy in book form.”

Virtual Reality therapy has really taken off in recent years, a fact supported by psychiatrist Wim Veling, who heads the <a href="https://vrmentalhealth.nl/">Virtual Reality Mental Health Lab</a>, a research team within the University Center for Psychiatry in Groningen. "VR has already proven effective in treating conditions like acrophobia (fear of heights) and aviophobia (fear of flying): people can board a plane again after treatment.” Thanks to advancing technological developments, more complex social interactions can also be simulated, making it possible to help individuals with more severe conditions like psychosis or paranoid personality disorder.&nbsp;Veling: "We can place people in various social situations, like in a cafe or bus. In this virtual world, we introduce avatars controlled by the therapist, who watches the session on a second screen and responds to the patient's actions.” This immersive approach allows therapists to create a controlled and safe environment for patients where they can confront and overcome their specific fears.&nbsp;<blockquote><h1>Positive experiences in the virtual world give people the courage to try things out in real life.</h1></blockquote>&nbsp;Designing virtual environments is a costly undertaking. And the more realistic the environment, the higher the development costs. Fortunately, research has shown that the virtual world does not need to be lifelike to have a positive effect. Veling: "The simulated world doesn't have to be lifelike; people still feel immersed in the virtual worlds we create and feel like they are experiencing something." Positive experiences in the virtual world give people the courage to try things out in real life, things that, in some cases, they haven’t done in years.&nbsp;Where Wim Veling's VR therapy takes people to a place they don’t want to be (think of people with agoraphobia or other social phobias), PlaygroundVR's software takes children to a place they love to be: the playground. "VR is the perfect place to be if you’re stuck somewhere you don't want to be," says Jason van Eunen of PlaygroundVR. "Think of children in hospitals: they’re physically in a place they don't want to be. We figured that VR could make their stay in the hospital a little more agreeable." A great idea, but at the time of inception, some seven years ago, the technology wasn't advanced enough to turn this idea into a reality – "back then, we were still working with cardboard and mobile phones." But then, some three years ago, the idea was revived.&nbsp;

Van Eunen: "In VR, anything is possible, which means that if you know what the target audience wants, you can create it! We asked a group of children what their ideal playground looks like. We let them create models and drawings. Almost every model included water and a lookout tower, so we made sure that those elements were also incorporated in the virtual world we built." In this virtual world, children in the same hospital can play together in a virtual playground.&nbsp;Van Eunen hastens to add that it is not a gaming experience: "Lisette van der Poel, a play therapist, taught us that you can actually play away your fear. So, we simulated that free, aimless play. There are no levels, no scores, or time limits. It’s an outdoor play experience: a virtual playground where we can place objects, like a branch for instance, that the children can then use for fishing or sword fighting.”&nbsp;While the effectiveness of VR in reducing stress and pain has been demonstrated through various scientific studies, Van Eunen refrains from making claims about the scientific impact of his software: "We see a smile on a child's face, and that's good enough for us. Recently, a girl’s surgery was delayed by half an hour, which is incredibly stressful. But she got to play in the virtual playground for half an hour; time flew by, and when she finally entered the operating room, she had no additional fears or nerves. How amazing is that?”&nbsp;

&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_48_05_789877a165.png" alt="Schermafbeelding 2023-11-06 om 16.48.05.png" srcset="https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/thumbnail_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_48_05_789877a165.png 121w,https://tioc-cdn.ams3.digitaloceanspaces.com/small_Schermafbeelding_2023_11_06_om_16_48_05_789877a165.png 389w," sizes="100vw">We're very proud to call NOOK one of our partners.&nbsp;NOOK is the official magazine of the Dutch and Belgian professional associations for interior architecture, BNI and AINB. The magazine offers in-depth content, inspiration, and opinions. NOOK is published quarterly in English.&nbsp;The above article was first published in NOOK, the Digital issue (2021 / #3).&nbsp;<a href="https://bni.nl/nook/">Order a hard copy of the issue for €12.50, excluding shipping.</a>&nbsp;

PlaygroundVR_Wereld.jpg

Virtual Reality isn't just fun and games; it is also used to do some serious good. Research has consistently shown that VR effectively elicits emotional responses and can positively impact behavior. Consequently, the technology has been introduced in various medical treatments, including pain management and behavioral therapy. Welcome to the wonderful world of Virtual Healing.

Virtual Reality

BEYOND THE CANVAS: YTJE VEENSTRA ON THE FUSION OF ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND CREATIVITY

CREATIVITY AT WORK: VIRTUAL HEALING

Cookie settings