The story of the artist
About the artist: Mirjam Polman
Words and ocean treasures merging into unique island art.
Mirjam on her passion
Calligram writer & artist
“My work is minuscule and precise. I love explaining my technique to visitors in the shop, and I love the fine detail that goes into every calligram. I work with just one colour and one tool – a very fine pen with lightfast black ink. It takes concentration and precision to create a striking portrait or a memory of a loved one. When a client is surprised or moved on receiving it, my mission is accomplished.”
2013
Moved to La Gomera
2015
First calligram
2020
Shop opened
Creativity has been in my blood since I was a child. Drawing and sculpting were my favourite pastimes, and later I discovered watercolour, acrylic and oil paint. After years of working in the Netherlands, I moved with my husband to La Gomera, one of the smallest Canary Islands, in 2013. The deep blue ocean, the rugged nature and the colourful painted houses have a special influence on my work.
I started at a local craft market, selling small minimalist wall decorations made of sea glass, driftwood and pebbles: Beach-Art. It became a success, with returning customers and curious visitors who had heard about my work and wanted to see it for themselves. Over the years it grew into sales at markets and galleries.
In 2015 I started making calligrams: images made entirely of minuscule handwritten words, a name or a text. They range from a small, atmospheric Spanish alley to a fragile hummingbird or an almost life-size lion’s head, and many of them are shipped all over the world.
In 2020 I opened my shop with a small studio in San Sebastián, the capital of La Gomera. During opening hours you can watch me at work.
“Mirjam has an eye for the minimalistic, the small. Her work is characterised by its fine and elegant appearance.”
Lightfast black ink
Every calligram is written with one very fine pen and lightfast black ink. I count the words while writing and note the total on the front.
Authentic island sea glass
My Beach-Art pieces are made of sea glass, driftwood and pebbles that I pick by hand on the beaches of La Gomera.