About me
“How fascinating it is to be able to reproduce the beauty of facial expressions”
Pastel is a demanding and historic medium—once favored by the old masters, later revived by the Impressionists, today only chosen by scille artists due to its complexity and delicacy. My passion for meticulous work led me to fully embrace this challenge with patience, and perseverance.
My name is Shahnez Van De Slijke, a Belgian realistic pastel artist based in Marbella. Although my academic background is in languages and literary translation—with a Master’s degree from the UK—art has always been my true companion. Growing up in Algiers as an only child, without modern distractions, I turned to drawing and reading early on.
Through the years the connection with creativity has never left me, and my artistic touch developed to a more classical and academic style, giving birth to beautiful and realistic portraits.
These efforts have led to honors I’m proud of: In 2023, I was awarded the Platinum Medal by the Académie des Arts et Lettres in Paris, recognizing my commitment to fine art and cultural legacy. Some of my work have appeared exhibitions such us the one in Saint-Aulaye (Dordogne, France) and the Museum of Modern Art in Barcelona. My work also appears in various art books and magazines—including Sotheby’s Fine Art Magazine.
In the process of discovering different médias and art techniques, and While I remain devoted to realism and pastel, my recent exploration of abstract acrylic Art introduced a new emotional and stylistic layer—bringing intuitive freedom, texture, and spontaneity to my work. This dual approach now defines my artistic identity: a dialogue between structure and freedom, between discipline and release.
Today Shahnez Van De Slijke art is seen in galleries and museums in France and in Spain.
Shahnez VDS
The first being in the 14thC, Shahnez she says she discovered during her multiple journeys in Tuscany. The cradle of realism to her eyes, the quattrocento in Florencia with the first appearance of three-dimensional paintings with Masaccio, Mantegna, and Piero della Francesca through a precise realism, enfolded in a gasp-worthy atmosphere.
Also, and because of the artist’s multicultural background, a big inspiration came to influence Shahnez’s work from the 19th century. Many European artists depicted the beauty of the colonial countries, and today masterpieces are still appreciated in many international museums. Works of Renoir, Jean Léon Gerome or Frederic Arthur Bridgman had the same denominator: Their art pictures beautiful figures and portraits in a mesmerizing oriental decor.
After living in more than 8 countries, Shahnez finally settled in southern Spain, where she started being more productive after a couple of intensive figurative Art courses with renowned Artists. These academic few courses of Realistic Art, she had, provided her with a unique opportunity to master one of the world’s longest and most important artistic traditions; an academic approach to observing and rendering nature as accurately as possible. And while Still Life is an attractive theme, the challenge to the complexity of painting human figures remains her favourite.
“How fascinating it is to be able to reproduce the beauty of facial expressions”
She says.
The privilege of an expat life is to seize opportunities to learn the artist revealed. As a joint venture between the artist’s passion for painting and writing , in 2019 Shahnez also completed a diploma from a university in Istanbul, allowing her to hold the title of calligrapher as well.
For an emerging artist we must admit that Shahnez has done quite well, as after only a few years of practice; the hobby turned to be a professional business. Today Shahnez Van De Slijke art is seen in important galleries and museums in France and in Spain, of which The Famous museum The MEAM in Barcelona.
