Nederland – Helene Smits

Time flies by

April 22, 2026April 22, 2026admin

As January felt as an extension of the Christmas holiday . From February time flew by. Solo performance at Midwinter Festijn. Oriental Tea time, Lecture about photography at FocOss. As march was making pictures Deine Lakaien, Goethes Erben. And after spending easter with my family I realised I made more picture this year already then last year.

But now? Now I have some air till summer just enjoy spring as the agenda after the summer start to fill up… well it’s full already. With the opera and photography I don’t have to be bored this year some fun events are coming and amazing tour at the end of the year. With the Osse Opera we are working with the Bossche Opera for a mazing show La Sonnabula in a open air theatre on June 13 2026.

And there is that one things, social media. Yeah I admit I’m a doom scroller. One side I’m done with social media. Mostly the pressure that comes with it. But why? We brand en promoot ourself as a photographer or artist for what? Well to connect? With my concert photography I work mostly in Germany and I life in the Netherlands. My nature photography I make everywhere mostly with my phone. I have a new one I review soon about (and it’s not a IPhone). I love my peace and privacy at home and the contrast of meeting people abroad. So what’s up next?

I’m going to use social media more to connect. But no pressure I will share my work old and new as I keep spitting and sorting my archives. I hope to have some time till summer for some vlogs and who follow me on socials have seen my new social media lay out. To prevent that Instagram cuts off my photo’s I made a new format which also contain credits. Well a messy blog after a messy but fun period soon more!!

Socials:
https://www.instagram.com/helenesmitsartist/
https://www.facebook.com/helenesmitsartist/

With love,
Helene Smits

New social media lay-out

New year lets be me

December 31, 2025December 31, 2025admin

I’m not going to write a new year new me blog. It’s more a new year lets be me blog.

This year has been a crazy ride personally and artistic. Made dreams come to like visiting the McLaren MTC with my dad. I embraced my passion for photography. Made some music and started privet vocal lessons to boost my confidence as a person and artist. Some friendships are hard to see because you know each other from work. Long I hold my photo work and private life separated. Now I realise what they even wanted to show my during my art study: I’am my art. My photography is the way I see the world.

I prefer making pictures in Germany I became a thing for me. It’s not just crossing the border but Germany became an artistic playground for me with people that support my work. Yes I do make pictures in my home country in the Netherlands but the vibe and support is different. Mabe It just help me focus on my work. When I’m in the Netherlands I have my family, daily work, and my opera hobby. But in Germany I have my creative family an then I’m only focus on my art.

So short 2025:

Found friends back. Made new friends. Found people I met long a ago and becaome friends. Let some old friends go.

Just life live the way it suits you. Connect with those you feel comfortable with. Dare to dream and don’t be afraid to realise them.

So 2025 was start dreaming, 2026 will be living the dream!!

With love,
Helene

Connect the stars

August 11, 2025August 11, 2025admin

Summer blog this one is always the hardest to pick a subject. After a few weeks of and doing fun things it’s hard to pick a subject. Shall I write about my vacation to Nurnberg or dedicate a blog about the Wicker ritual at Castlefest. What about my visit to Schloss Moyland and the Marina Abramovic & MAI exhibition. Or are they not so far apart? And is it all about connection? Embrace and let go, breath in and breath out.

So my summer was a magical evening in Nurnberg a concert of Deine Lakaien that felt it was directed by the universe. With a thunderstorm that delayed the show but with the perfect timing of the sun breaking through and bats flying over as the sun went down. That brings me to Castlefest festival (pictures) where they have the wicker ritual. It was 10 years ago after my first time I put something in the wicker. A ritual with some rain before it started just like with the concert. But magical during the show. The wicker is a personal ritual where people put something in the wicker to let go. Because of the theme I decided to let go and embrace. Embrace myself and continue on my path.

Between everything I went to the exhibition of Marina Abramovic & MAI. Personally she’s one of my favourite modern artist and always fascinated me during my art studies. The way Marina Abramovic connect how her work connect people. Her student from MAI who performed work that connect Abramovic and Beuys and then to the audience. And yes you can argue on the personal visions and believe. I also do not always agree with the material or form they use. But in the core it’s all about connection and reflection.

You were not just a visitor. You were my life.
_{– Marina Abrovic about Uley 2012}

You might ask yourself: Helene you had a fun summer but still how does it connect? Wel for me I see a clear connection between all three events. It’s all about connection and love. A reflection to connecting with yourself. From to love yourself to breathing from you core. It’s all about you just you being you. Meet people connect to people. For a year I did a lot of walks and made pictures and later I found out it were walks to connect to myself. Sometimes some walks along other times I’m alone. But it’s just like life if we dare to connect we can grow and see the most beautfitul things.

The starts in sky are like dots we just need to connect them. We just need to look up and don’t be afraid to connect.

Helene

Breath

Marina Abramovic & MAI im Dialog mit Joseph Beuys

Photo impression of the exhibition.

Castlefest festival 02-08-2025 Lisse (NL)

August 5, 2025August 5, 2025admin

Pictures from: De Kooi, Dikanda, the wicker ritual, Carmarna, The SIDH.

De Kooi

Dikanda

The Wicker Ritual

Garmarna

The SIDH

Larp Kids quest

Visitors

Ollie Alpaca 2019

July 25, 2025July 25, 2025admin

From the old box 2019

Exhibition Weg naar de vrijheid, 75 jaar bevrijding van oss (way to freedom, 75years of liberty in Oss), Jan Cunen Museum, Oss (NL) 2-6-2019 till 22-9-2019

Ollie Alpaca
2019
Made from Yarn (scheepjes Namaste)

The alpaca represents love and determination. The alpaca is a guide to help you climb the highest mountains to find your path. The alpaca can carry your burton and make you happy with their soft character. The colours red and green stand for nature and power. Purple for the divine.The softness of the yarn represents rest.

The alpaca represents the journey to freedom a devine journey to inner rest and luck.

Don’t ask me to make pictures of …..

April 2, 2025April 2, 2025admin

This blog might come over as a slightly arrogant blog. But so many times I hear: oh, you are a photographer so you can make picture…

at my wedding
of my company
for my ID
of my child
of my dog
a funeral
and so on and so on.

And I say NO!

Mostly people are surprised if I say no. Yes I have almost all the degrees in photography (I only miss a master that’s a different thing) so yes I learned all the techniques. My specialisation is concert & documentary photography. That also doesn’t mean I make pictures of every concert with my camera (mostly a snapshot with my iPhone like everyone now days). During my photography studies I didn’t even take all assignments. It’s good to set your borders as an artist in whatever art you make. As a student it’s normal to experiment and discover your interest and talent. But as a photographer here in the Netherlands people expect you do everything. But it’s good to have a specialisation.

So what kind of photography do I do?
At the moment I started to pick up my photography as a freelance independent photographer and I only make picture for my own art and on request. So a concert here and there when it fits my agenda. Art project at my own pace.

I feel great the way I can reinvent myself as an artist compared to the pressure of when I was studying. I have control and do what I love work with people I want to work with who fits in my vision. With Noize Magazine I’ve had a great time but now I don’t have big pressure deadline and focus on developing my own style in my own time. So let’s make art!!!

Dare to be arrogant!
Now I’m getting older I start to understand artist that seemed arrogant when I was young. Like stories I heard about Corbijn asking outrageous fees to make pictures or the attitude of Erwin Olaf. They are strict in there own rules they made to protect them as an artist. To have control of there own art. So now I don’t see arrogant as a bad thing but just a way to focus on your personal work. The hard thing is the balance between appear arrogant and still be open to new things. Boundaries are hard to set because before you realise you start to build walls instead of bridges.

So yes you can always ask me to make pictures of your wedding/dog whatever. Just accept if I ask a high fee or even say no.

With love,
Helene

Let’s make art!!

March 6, 2025March 6, 2025admin

During my art studies I had a work study at Dynamo making art for concerts with alternative teenagers. Now in my daily life I make art, craft and do fun thinks with special need people. I normally don’t write about my work but this time we had a great project of art and fun. We made a carnaval themed project with an exhibition in the middle of the local city centre.

First a short story of my current work. Two and a half years ago I got the job to guide people with special needs in there daily activities. This so they have a useful and social meaning of there day. The fun thing is we can do all the fun things. Dance, make music (like with boomwhackers), bake, make art, even do production work or a lovely walk in the park. Sometimes we try something and it’s a disaster but there is always fun. That’s what last year became my personal motto “do what makes you happy”. Offcourse writing it like this it only sounds like fun but it’s hard work to and always keep an eye on their needs.

So after almost 15 year I made an art project with a group. The fun thing with guiding a group they always surprise you and inspire. That reflects on you own art and makes you grow yourself as an artist it could crush your boundaries as an artist that are set by the rules of education. So with my work I try things that I would do at home or sing the Phantom of The Opera in public. But working with a group gives a sight of trust and I one goes flat out we don’t care we laugh and maybe try again

You can only fly if you try.

So this project was about making fun and go big. They made drawings of there dream parade wagons and when I said we are going to build them they looked at me that I’m crazy. But it was hart work and I don’t remember how much paper a glue I have seen. But make ideas an let them find solutions on their own when they build and the pride when where finished. The achievement of doing something you couldn’t imaging to ever do and pull it off. That’s the magic of art! Make something to amaze even it’s just yourself.

The work is exhibited in a shopwindow on an empty store. Local on a spot where the whole city can see it. Yes it isn’t the Louvre, but when we make a small walk with the group. There smiles from ear to ear that’s why I love my job. That’s why I love to make art.

Do what make you happy,
Helene

Losing your heart in Berlin or Paris

February 12, 2025February 12, 2025admin

So new blog January is such a dull month finish what’s left of last year but new ideas taking over your mind. So with piles of administration of last year (yes I know I should keep it up better) and a mind full of ideas I write this blog.

And just a note my blogs are my personal perspective on my life and no theatre or concert reviews. But I love to use these shows as a nice threat in my writing.

Now I ended up in a last minute crazy idea to go to Rob Kemps show Hemel op Aarde (Snollebollekes guy you know from Left to right). But instead of an audience of party people but the average age of my opera choir would be a perfect fit and a few couples of my age. So yes no party but a show about the most famous cemetery of Paris. I should have went for a full goth look that would fit the mood (not the audience nor artist) but a sneaky Veljanov’s shirt might already do the trick or test Rob on his knowledge about Brel.

What Rob has with Paris I have with Berlin.
I deeply respect Rob and I would love to sit with him one day and talk about music and art. But I don’t know much about Paris. I found my love for the city of Berlin. Every time I see an ICE a nice silver bullet between all those yellow with blue trains my heart makes a jump. I want to board it and hope it will take me to Berlin. Visit places the roots of the art I love the small streets of Kreuzberg the rare non tourist one that reminds me of a time of rebellious art. A sense of ever longing freedom even the wall is gone. Even the city has changed I will always love it. Where Rob told the story of him going to the Bar of the roots of the chassions. I’m proud I can say I have been to the K17 the iconic venue for underground and industrial music.
But like Rob told about his meetings an places where his idols have been that he has been there to. I can see I have been on the same stage as he just here in my town Oss. We both have been on the main stage of the Lievekamp no one can take that away from me.

Crowds, one thing I have in common with Rob is that I don’t like crowds. For me that keeps the dream of being on stage to see and feel the crowd but not beeing a number in the mass. Or go with my camera being there in my own bubble with my own personal spaces. Like yesterday I was on the side of row one (number 3 counted from stage) and the couple beside me didn’t show up. And I loved my personal space from left to right no one and even in front of me there was the isle. So I could enjoy the show from inside my own bubble.

But back to my t-shirt. After the show I start talking with a man he made a comment on my t-shirt. He asked me if It was a Jim Morrison shirt but then sees Veljanov on it. So there it it we talked about music he about his love for music from Paris and me about the beauty of the music from Berlin how love for music unites.

And a friend told me it’s oke to groupie now and then. And it’s true we should allow it ourselves and enjoy it. Just for the magic of the moment. Because one day all our inspirations our personal idols will and op in a place like Père Lachaise. So sometimes really just sometimes I will let myself groupie. But also I see the artist sapreated from the person itself.

But one thing if Rob wil go before me and even he will be buried in “just” Best. I will take my grandchild to your grave and make my first true Left to Right. And if I can not do it my self then I hope my grandchild will read this and do it for me. Thats I wish I would love to grant for him.

With love,
Hélène

Now I can say I’m a opera singer!

November 22, 2024July 8, 2025admin

Without even crossing the border back home (however borders only exist in our minds) and with the magic of the Veljanov’s concert still in my head. It’s head in the books and EarPods in the ears and last minute studying of The Armed Man of Jenkins while the silver train brings me home. However home is where the heart is so maybe I should have stayed in Berlin. But back to reality it’s a week of working, rest, working, photo editing, working, rehearsals, working, photo editing, working, rehearsals, preform, preform.

The Armed Man

When I got the news early this year that we would sing The Armed Man it was exited however one side it’s a little bit to filmish bombastic piece the more and more I dig in to it the more I loved it. We did it with the vision of 80 years of liberty of the south of the Netherlands. When I grew up sometimes my grandfather told me stories of the WOII how he had to work in Germany. He was one of those Dutch gentleman who did not hate Germans but he only hated Nazis. My dad always served the Dutch military and has been to Afghanistan for two times. So I grew up always aware that he’s a lot away and worked a lot Germany. Mabe that where my rebellion to learning German as a child came from or it’s just it’s because it to similar to Dutch. I personally love the German culture specially around Christmas, so as Dutch as I am yes I do that in Germany. So here I’m back where I stared this blog: Borders only exist in our minds. Just like enemies grow out of fear of what we do not know. Sometimes we need to face our past first to start something new.

Not only singing The Armed Man but the whole last two weeks where a personal journey of reflection and grow. As a photographer a singer and as a person.

Now I can call myself a opera singer
Well I’m just a hobby singer in a local opera choir but it’s fun and helps. It also helps me with my tinnitus and hyperacusis. The last weeks I learned I have a neurologic tinnitus /hyperacusis so if I’m relax and my tinnitus/hyperacusis relax to. But they say after two years you can say I’m a opera singer. And the last two years my life started to flip back 180degrees back to my true love, music. Last year we celebrated 90 years of Osse Opera it was a nice mash up of opera an theatre and after that we went of a spring concert. So I learned a lot and specially for this last opera I learned several techniques that really makes my jaw stronger. I don’t have big plans I still love to be at the local opera and learn from Hans Lamers and the choir member and experiment at home. So singing is my therapy and love.

And now off to work 21 December we have a concert in a church in Reek. With some Jenkis, Orff, Verdi and Mozart. So a nice mesh up again and a lot to learn in a few weeks.

So after two weeks it’s take some rest, recharge and restart it all again and see what the future will bring.

The Armed Man – A mass for Piece
Written by: Karl Jenkins
Executive conductor: Sef Pijpers Jr.
Osse opera conductor: Hans Lamers
Bosche Opera conductor: Wim Reijnders
Solo: Lucie van Ree & Zaid Tayem
Location: Jheronimus Bosch Art Centre in ’s-Hertogenbosch
Date: 16 & 17 November 2024 (sold out)

Harmonie Wilhelmina den Dungen,
Vereniging Bosche Opera
Osse Opera Vereniging
And guest choir singers and artist