spectralQ (2010 - 2012)

Two cameras. Two girls. A hitchhike from Antwerp to Beirut in five days.

Beirut, summer 2006. A war zone.

mission ‘dinner out’ (2006)

on the roadhttp://web.me.com/unknown-account/Extras/dinnerout_ontheroad.html
on the spotdinnerout_onthespot.htmldinnerout_onthespot.htmlshapeimage_2_link_0

A project led by Bulent Ozturk to help fund an art studio for kurdish children in Urfa, Kurdistan.

sanat atölyesi (2005)sanatatolyesi.html

the I of the beholder.

photo portfolio (2002-...)photography.html
the projectsanatatolyesi.htmlsanatatolyesi.htmlshapeimage_5_link_0
the pictureskurdistan.htmlkurdistan.htmlshapeimage_6_link_0

I got the idea to make this website as a gift to myself for my 25th birthday. I see it as a way to overlook what I’ve done so far, and to keep up with what I’ll do in the future, so that I can get some perspective.


When people ask me what I do for a living, or what my profession is, I never know what to tell them.

mayli.be (2007-...)

artists united for a better world (2009)

More than ever before, our planet and our society have reached a state of emergency. But never more than now have we seen a wave of hope and willingness for something better.


Our future lies in the hands of that hope; in that belief and trust that we CAN make a difference. But in this quest, we must understand that all of us are connected. We all share the same world and so share the same, global goal.


It is our duty to restore that sense of common purpose.


For years the various media have informed us about the miseries of war, hunger, disease, natural disasters and poverty; leaving us with fear, hate and despair.


We -as artists- want to show you, instead, what can be done to face those atrocities, what IS being done. We want to point out humanity's potential instead of focussing on failure. What brings us together rather than what tears us apart. That's why we send you our message of unity, of hope. To reassure you that we do have a future. A bright one.


All we must do is be willing to try, again and again, without ever giving up and with the right intentions, together, united, for a better world.

Environmental sculptor and photographer. Mayli for original webdesign

and management.                                                              

steve crowningshield (2008)

Environmental sculpting is the art of rearranging raw, natural materials by respecting their original environment and using the landscape to create perspective.


It’s a process of meditation and a search for balance to reinvent nature in its own surroundings without disrupting it, so the world can admire its beauty from a new point of view.


Aside from being an environmental sculptor and photographer, Steve is known to be a musician, poet, craftsman, farmer and sawyer.

chill baby chill (2010)

A conscious move away from the Drill Baby Drill Philosophy (which has dramatically evolved into a Spill Baby Spill reality).

In response to the terrible oil leak that has been gushing from the sunken oil rig into the Gulf of Mexico since April 20th I created
ChillBabyChill.org. A platform that intends to focus on three main issues.

For starters; the Oil Spill Damage Control and Response. This is where you'll find very specific info on 'how to help'. There are petitions to sign that help stop new offshore drilling and lots of important news updates about the state of the spill and the consequences on long and short term.

Next urgent issue on the list is the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge - Shell is planning on starting its drilling in the last 5% that is still pristine and safe for wildlife - on July first. All the info you need on the subject, including the damage the Valdez spill caused twenty years ago, can be found on this part of the platform. Again, there are petitions for you to sign that will help make things better for all of us.


And last but nor least - Alternatives To Oil. More precisely we encourage people to look at your own actions, to weigh your consumption patters. Get informed and make conscious choices, because at the end of the day - it is US who're using all this oil that's being drilled and spilled.      

                                                                                                                                                             

reef summit belize (2010)

The Reef Summit in Belize is a three day conference held for the protection of Coral Reefs globally as well as locally.

We are presenting the world premiere of CAVU’s film ‘Someday is NOW!’ and the Healthy Reefs Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bliss Performing Arts Center, demanding a Coastal Zone Management Plan for Belize.

The summit also consists of the Reef Symposium where the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative launch their 2010 Report Card for the Mesoamerican Reef and Call to Action for the COP-16 in Cancun.

Finally, Spectral Q’s team organizes the collaborative Human Aerial Art event for the community to send out a powerful message for healthy reefs, reaching national and global leaders.

Aside from creating the website for the Reef Summit and providing the photography for all three days, I was hired to assist the aerial artist John Q for the art event. As his artistic director I helped designing the image, making sure the artwork is consistent with the purpose of the Reef Summit. Click here for more info on the actual production.

I live from day to day and roll from one project or freelance job into another. So even though this site doesn’t contain everything, it gives me an all round idea of what I’ve been focussing on lately... (and it gave me the perfect excuse to test my web-design knowhow)

Spectral Q Aerial Art is a unique medium of communication that is designed to build community and inspire creativity. Spectral Q has created over 150 major Human Aerial Art images around the world on every continent as non-commercial communications and has the largest body of work in this medium.


I was lucky enough to be asked by wonderful aerial artist and activist John Quigley to co-produce some of his latest Spectral Q aerial images. These photographs of human sculptures created for awareness and inspirational purposes have helped to raise attention to many problems of our modern society, pointing out the solution in human’s common sense and common purpose.

The aerial art projects I worked on with John are listed below; each one links to it’s own page.

  1. *Reef Summit Belize on November 14th 2010

  2. *COP16 Cancun Closing Statement on December 10th 2010

  3. *A tribute to Chelsea King on March 11th 2011

  4. *An iconic message of peace from Palestinian youth to the world on November 25th 2011

  5. *Africa Roars for Climate Action on December 7th 2011


Finally, I designed the website SpectralQ.com which presents John’s entire body of work.

imagine 01 (2010-2012)

“You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.

I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one...”


The ONE Project is about people of all faiths, races, and nationalities who share a common vision that human beings are capable of creating a just, equitable, free and peaceful society for all.

The ONE Project is a conversation that began publicly on 01.01.01 and to this date the 01 stickers have reached over 30 countries. Imagine 01 is its follow-up.

The intention of the project is to generate a wave of consciousness worldwide, while sharing visions and possibilities for living so that together we can transform from a degenerate to a regenerate society.

www.theoneproject.com

real estate (2002-2012)

I started out ten years ago with the property management of one and then two rental properties for student housing.

From the beginning the management included putting the rooms up for rent when vacant, selecting candidates, handling contracts and guarantees,... but has evolved over the years to caretaker responsibilities such as overlooking renovations (electricity, plumbing, interior,...) restoration of facade and general supervising.

Simultaneously I produced 3 consecutive Real Estate Projects of my own.
Belgielei 68 (2002 - 2004)
Oudevaartplaats 4 (2003 - 2009)
Kloosterstraat 20 (2009 - present)
The studio apartments were purchased, completely renovated, put out for rent and later sold with significant profit margins.

little did we know (2013)

This book project contains a collection of stories projecting a holistic world view. It discusses our responsibilities as citizens of this planet, now that we're facing global changes as a result of the ongoing environmental, economic, financial, political, and cultural crisis.


As we follow the personal testimonies of twelve documentary makers, we learn what passion drove them to make the film, what realizations they had in the process, what difficulties and stumbling blocks keep us from changing in time, and finally, what view they hold on where the solutions lie.


Despite the graveness and the urgency of the subject, the book is a hopeful, inspiring, enthusiastic, encouraging, and compassionate piece of writing that everyone who enjoys living on our planet will enjoy.


click here for an introduction of the film makers that were interviewed

ode to JR (2009 - 2014)

I first met JR in 2009 when I started the organization ‘artists united’ For A Better World. A mutual friend had introduced us and I went to visit his workshop in Paris.


JR showed me some footage they were editing for his then upcoming film ‘Women Are Heroes’, and while watching the scenes unroll in front of my eyes, my throat got thick with emotion and I felt tears building up... Him and his friends showed me around the atelier and as I was getting familiar with their work I realized I had come across something special.


I could feel that the creativity that was growing in that instant -although it was promising to become very successful- didn’t grow out of commercial thought. These were a bunch of youngsters who valued friendship and authenticity and they didn’t need to find their way, because the way had already found them. Their creative process had been an organic one and it would keep on growing for many years to come. 


I was just lucky enough that my path crossed theirs...


click here to see the collaborations that were established over the years