The artist, Aysla ten Holt, was born in the Dutch West Indies on the island of Curacao. With her Antillean and
Dutch ancestry forming an interesting pathway to her career in the arts she began her academic studies at university in Holland.
After completing her studies she
travelled extensively throughout Europe and North Africa performing as a singer in a musical duo influenced by her Caribbean
and Latin American roots. Soon her musical career gave way to her life-long love of the visual arts and she returned
to her Curacao home and immersed herself in the local culture while she explored the mediums of pen and ink, chalk, oil and
acrylic.
In
the 1980’s Asyla moved to the nearby island of Bonaire where whe would work extensively with fellow artists as well
as teaching art to children in the community. She remains well known on that island today where her coral stone
flamingoes line the distinctive walkways on Kaya Grandi in Bonaire’s main village of Kralendijk. During that time she was chosen to attend the
American Student League in Manhattan and started doing portraits as well as focusing on oil painting depicting her cultural
roots. A decade later Asyla
made her home again in Curacao, although she continues to be part of the Bonaire art world with frequent trips and exhibitions
there. In these most recent years she has concentrated on a very personal and imaginative expression using mixed media
and creating a distinctive mosaic style in her work.
Asyla has balenced this work with an intense study of the healing
arts including yoga, Shiatsu and Reiki. Also she creates healing stones. Asyla
maintains close ties to the art world in the region with participation in the Caribbean Arts and Crafts shows and interaction
with the island art community. She lives in the countryside near the ocean in Curacao and can be reached through her
website at www.asylatenholt.com, or by telephone at (599 9) 864-9598 or cell (599 9) 526-8813. 
