ella bril artist dutch artists ella bril painter motherhood and art motherhood luminous origins mtart agency london alice codford luminary mothers — *Image Courtesy of Ella Bril. Photography by Chantal van den Broek.*

A painter of emotional truth and quiet intensity, Dutch artist Ella Bril, based in Amsterdam, is known for her large-scale figurative works inspired by people she encounters in everyday life. Her compositions sit in the space between reality and imagination, bold, colour-drenched worlds where figures gaze outward or drift inward, surrounded by bright planes, abstract gestures, and subtle emotional tension. Long interested in the reasons we move through life the way we do, Ella’s work explores the contradictions of being human: our tenderness, our frustration, our longing, our strength.

But motherhood has shifted both the scale and the stakes. Eleven months postpartum, she describes a love that feels primal and lioness-like, a tenderness matched by fear, and an identity still unfolding in real time. Where her practice once explored nuanced emotional narratives from a wider distance, this chapter zooms in, to bodies intertwined, to domestic quiet, to the invisible labour and luminous vulnerability that shape early motherhood.

Her first solo show in the UK, Motherhood: Luminous Origins, is presented by MTArt Agency at TM Gallery in London. In our conversation for Luminary Mothers, Ella reflects on breastfeeding nights, protectiveness, exhaustion, and the creative urgency that arrives when time becomes scarce. What emerges is both love letter and self-portrait: a reminder that motherhood doesn’t soften an artist’s edge, it can sharpen it, deepen it, and pull the most honest work to the surface.

By Alice Codford

ON MOTHERHOOD

Alice: How has becoming a mother influenced the way you see yourself, both as a person and as an artist? Has it shifted how you understand concepts like love, identity, or vulnerability?

Ella Bril: Oh everything changed really, I think that 9 months of pregnancy does not at all prepare you for what’s coming: a baby. A tiny human that needs you 24/7. It’s both the most amazing thing that's happened to me and also the most challenging as an artist and as an individual. When it comes to love, I have never felt this kind of love before. It’s a whole new level unlocked, totally different then with a partner or relative or friends. It’s more animal-like, I feel it so deep in my core and I feel like I should protect her at all times, like a lioness. At the same time it feels very fragile and uncertain. Especially now that the world feels very scary and unstable. I think about her future a lot and it makes me terrified. It’s not only me that I should worry about anymore. We are one, and that brings me to the last topic; identity. I am postpartum now for 10 months and I feel like the old me is no more. I have to discover myself again and again, and so I try to paint about this topic and would love to discover it even further in the coming weeks/months. Also by inviting other mothers to my studio - to talk, paint and rediscover together…

Motherhood is often described as both transformative and grounding. What have been the most surprising lessons for you in this new chapter?

Ella Bril: It totally surprised me how much you can still do while not sleeping haha. I didn’t know I had that in me, especially when breastfeeding day and night. What a ride.

“When it comes to love, I have never felt this kind of love before. It’s a whole new level unlocked, totally different then with a partner or relative or friends. It’s more animal-like, I feel it so deep in my core and I feel like I should protect her at all times, like a lioness.”

Your art has always felt deeply emotional and intuitive, has motherhood changed your creative instincts or the way you express emotion through your work?

Ella Bril: Absolutely, becoming a mother has shifted everything for me, both personally and artistically. From the moment Polly grew inside me, I felt a new kind of power and fulfillment. That intensity has seeped into my work: I use painting almost like a mirror for my internal world now. When I was pregnant, I could imagine many things, but nothing quite prepares you for the raw vulnerability of actually holding a baby. That vulnerability, that sweet dependence, it’s become a core of what I want to explore in my paintings. My instincts haven’t changed in the sense that I still respond to color and emotion, but the depth feels different. There’s a new layer, a grounding in care, in responsibility, in connection.

What aspects of motherhood have been the most inspiring creatively? Are there particular emotions or moments that have found their way directly into your art?

Ella Bril: So many. The quiet emotional labor of motherhood, the invisible, constant care has been a huge inspiration. For example, in paintings like Breastfeeding by Moonlight and Safe with Me, I’m trying to capture those tender, intimate moments that can be overwhelming but also deeply peaceful. The physical closeness, the softness, but also the weight of protectiveness and fear, it’s all there. Another piece, Becoming a Father, reflects how I saw Polly’s father when she was first placed in his arms: his eyes changed; there was awe, love, a profound commitment. The flowers in his hands in the painting represent admiration, and the pigeons around him symbolise the fragile, ever-present peace. In that moment, I saw something luminous, something both fragile and steadfast.

On the flip side, motherhood can also bring exhaustion, self-doubt, and overwhelm. How do you navigate those feelings while trying to stay creatively engaged?

Ella Bril: Yes, those feelings are very real. After Polly was born, and for quite a while, I couldn’t just pick up the brush whenever I felt like it. I felt torn, torn between caring for her and caring for my art. In the time after birth I was asked to do a huge commission just a few weeks postpartum. It was almost instinctive. I needed that as a way to process my thoughts and emotions. Painting became a form of therapy, a way to channel the haunting, restless feelings that come with being a new parent. But I also rely on help, having support allows me to return to the studio. And when doubt creeps in, I remind myself: my art doesn’t have to be perfect. What matters most is that it’s honest and reflects the time I’m living in now.

After a long day of balancing motherhood and your creative practice, what helps you reset or reconnect with yourself?

Ella Bril: Going back to the studio is my reset, but there are smaller rituals, too. Sometimes I just step outside: I love nature, and walking in green spaces helps me ground my thoughts. In the city, I feel overwhelmed, but nature brings me peace. Also, re-looking at unfinished paintings or even sketching without any expectation helps me reconnect: it’s not about finishing something, but about exploring a feeling or color. letting myself pause, let go of guilt, and just be present with Polly, even if it means not painting that day. Even though that’s sometimes hard to do. Living in the now.

“It totally surprised me how much you can still do while not sleeping. I didn’t know I had that in me, especially when breastfeeding day and night. What a ride.”

What’s something you’ve learned about yourself since becoming a mother that you didn’t expect?

Ella Bril: I didn’t expect to feel so powerful and so fragile at the same time. There’s a surprising strength in caring for someone so dependent, and yet, there’s also this deep uncertainty, this constant question of whether I’m doing “enough.” I’ve learned that I can lean into vulnerability as a source of creativity. I once thought vulnerability was a weakness, but now I see it as one of my greatest tools as an artist and as a new mother. In a world that feels really scary sometimes it's a superpower to be honest and vulnerable and true.

What advice would you share with new mothers who are also creatives, those who are trying to find time, inspiration, and confidence again post-baby?

Ella Bril: Oh gosh, be gentle with yourself. The transition to motherhood is huge, you don’t need to recreate your entire practice overnight. Give yourself permission to feel messy, to rest, to recalibrate. Second, find small pockets of time to reconnect with your creativity and with yourself, even if it’s just sketching for 10 minutes or playing with color on a scrap canvas. Those little gestures count. Third, lean on your support system: if you can, have someone help you so you can go back into your creative space. And finally, trust that becoming a mother doesn’t have to dilute your artistic voice — it can deepen it. Use what you’re living now in your work: the joy, the fear, the tenderness. Those are powerful emotions, and they can become the heart of your next chapter. But don’t rush into anything, take the time. That’s something I could have done more.

ON HER FIRST SOLO SHOW, MOTHERHOOD: LUMINOUS ORIGINS

Your new solo exhibition explores motherhood, can you tell us about the inspiration behind it? What was the first spark that made you want to dedicate an entire body of work to this theme?

Ella Bril: The very first spark came unexpectedly, from a deeply personal place. I had created a work of myself pregnant, something I made instinctively, without imagining it would lead anywhere beyond that moment. When Marine Tanguy saw the piece on instagram, she immediately commissioned a new work from me, and that commission became a kind of a start for something more. Her belief in the piece made me look at it with fresh eyes, and I realized there was so much more to say within this theme.

That initial artwork held an emotional charge I hadn’t fully processed at the time: the vulnerability, the transformation, the quiet strength that sits inside the experience of motherhood. Marine’s commission opened the door for me to explore those layers more intentionally. From there, the idea of building an entire body of work around motherhood didn’t just make sense, it felt necessary and it still feels that way.

“I hope they feel SEEN, even if they’re not parents. Motherhood is specific, but the emotions within it are universal: love, fear, vulnerability, intimacy, exhaustion. I hope people recognise something of themselves in these paintings.”

How does this exhibition differ from your previous work, in tone, subject matter, or even artistic process?

Ella Bril: The tone is more intimate. I’ve always painted emotions, but this time the emotions are mine in a much more direct way. It’s more vulnerable, more raw. My earlier work often explored relationships and subtle narratives, but motherhood narrows the lens: it becomes about closeness, about bodies intertwined, about the small domestic moments that carry enormous emotional weight. The process also changed. I no longer have endless hours in the studio; instead, I work with a kind of urgency and honesty I didn’t have before. There isn’t time to overthink, the painting has to come from the gut.

Are there specific experiences from your own motherhood journey that have directly informed particular pieces in the show?

Ella Bril: Yes, almost every piece has a direct memory behind it. Breastfeeding by Moonlight was born from those quiet nights when the world felt completely still, except for me and Polly. Safe With Me traces back to the moment I first realised how protective I felt — this powerful, almost primal force in my chest. And Becoming a Father came from watching Polly’s father hold her for the first time; something shifted in him, and I tried to paint that shift. These works aren’t imagined scenes, they’re emotional imprints from real moments that changed me.

How have you visually represented the emotional spectrum of motherhood, from tenderness to exhaustion to joy?

Ella Bril: Through contrasts I think. softness paired with weight, light paired with shadow.. I use warm tones to capture tenderness, but I don’t shy away from darker hues, the ones that represent doubt, sleeplessness, or the haunting feeling of not being “enough.” The figures often collapse into each other because motherhood blurs identities; the boundaries between two bodies soften. And I rely on texture — layered brushstrokes, motifs like flowers or pigeons — to symbolise fragility and resilience living side by side.

Does your creative process look different now? For example, working around nap times or finding inspiration in quieter, more domestic moments?

Ella Bril: Yes it's so much less spontaneous, which is something I'm still getting used to. It’s much more pinned to certain moments and I really have to perform at certain times. Which is new and challenging but we’re getting there. It also means I do more in between and at home as well. Not only in the studio.

Do you see this exhibition as a love letter to mothers, or perhaps more as an exploration of identity through the lens of motherhood?

Ella Bril: It’s both. It’s absolutely a love letter: to mothers, to caretakers, to anyone who has ever carried the invisible weight of responsibility. But it’s also an exploration of identity. Motherhood didn’t erase who I was; it stretched me, expanded me, forced me to meet parts of myself I hadn’t encountered before. This exhibition is a reflection of that transformation.

What do you hope people, mothers or not, will feel or take away when they experience this show?

Ella Bril: I hope they feel SEEN, even if they’re not parents. Motherhood is specific, but the emotions within it are universal: love, fear, vulnerability, intimacy, exhaustion. I hope people recognise something of themselves in these paintings. And more than anything, I hope they sense the quiet strength of these moments, the beauty in the ordinary, the heroism in the unseen work of caring for someone else.

Has collaborating or connecting with other mothers or artists influenced this body of work in any way?

Ella Bril: Yes definitely but I'm also right in the middle of this, the plan is to really involve other mothers into my work and not only my own vision and experience.

Do you think motherhood has made you more fearless or more reflective as an artist?

Ella Bril: Both. Motherhood pushed me to be braver in my choices, but it also made me more introspective. I paint with more intention now, less fear, more depth, more patience even.

What’s next for you after this show, do you see motherhood continuing to shape your creative voice long term?

Ella Bril: Definitely! This is a theme I really want to explore further. I'm thinking of going back to the studio and inviting all kinds of mothers to talk and to paint them. Right there on the spot. I think that could be a really exciting thing, to really open up to conversation and put that onto the canvas.

“The tone is more intimate. I’ve always painted emotions, but this time the emotions are mine in a much more direct way. It’s more vulnerable, more raw.”

ON IDENTITY, STYLE & BALANCE

Has becoming a mother changed your sense of self-expression, the way you dress, create, or move through the world?

Ella Bril: Yes, it has. Motherhood stripped things back for me and it removed a lot of noise. The way I dress has changed the most; fashion used to be a big part of my identity, but right now it’s naturally moved into the background. My focus shifted, and getting dressed became more about practicality and comfort than expression. But I’m starting to rediscover myself again, the way women always do. creatively.I’ve become more instinctive; I don’t overthink my choices anymore. And I move through the world with a different softness and strength, aware of how much love I carry and how much is expected of me. It’s both an amazing feeling but also kind of scary. Considering the world we live in right now.

Do you feel your definition of “success” has evolved since becoming a mother and artist simultaneously?

Ella Bril: Completely. Success used to feel very external: exhibitions, recognition, momentum. Now it feels quieter and more personal. If I can create work that feels true to me while also being present for Polly, that’s success. It’s less about doing everything and more about doing what matters, what aligns with who I’m becoming both as an artist and as a mother. The balance isn’t perfect, but the meaning behind the work feels deeper.

How do you balance being present for your child while also staying true to your artistic ambitions?

Ella Bril: It’s a constant balancing act which I haven’t “perfected” yet, and I’ve accepted that it will always shift. Some days motherhood takes the lead, and other days the studio does. What helps is having support and being intentional about my time. When I’m painting, I’m fully there, and when I’m with Polly, I try to be fully with her. I’ve learned not to judge myself for the ebb and flow.

Follow Ella on Instagram here. See her website here.

Dutch Artist Ella Bril on Motherhood, Identity, and Making Art in the In-Between.