Brief aan Joop Sjollema Possibly 1938

This is a letter to Joop Sjollema, written by Richard Nicolaüs Roland Holst on December 6th, 1938. Look at the way Holst makes these marks with his pen – each word flowing into the next, almost like a dance. You can see the rhythm and the flow of his thoughts right there on the page. I imagine him, pen in hand, leaning over his desk, the world outside fading away as he concentrates on getting his thoughts down. What was he feeling as he wrote? What was on his mind that day? Writing, like painting, is such an intimate act. It's about finding the right touch, the right pressure, to convey what's inside you. The slight variations in the line, the way some words are darker than others – that's the artist's hand at work, making each stroke deliberate. I feel a kinship with Holst in this moment. He's reminding us that every artist is in dialogue with those who came before, and those who will come after, connected by the simple act of making marks and sharing thoughts.