In 1999, when skimming the web for talented creatives to participate in the Texelse Boys project I bumped into the work of Fons. Back then it was just Texelse Boys, but now looking back it has all the characteristics of a project. Even though for it really looked unstructured and uncontrolled, actually the opposite was true. But that’s another story. And simply got caught by it. So wrote him a mail to ask him to join. And he said yes, sort of. But that’s a typical things for creatives in general, so also for Fons. The sort of part I mean. Yes doesn’t necessarily mean yes, but it instantly makes you part of something. And being part of something is always a nice idea. And I must confess, the story I had to join was quite impressive. Anyway, what it meant was that one day I had to call and remind him to finally deliver a piece of artwork for some postcards to be printed. So he did, and if I remember it well, he made it on the spot to send it two hours later. Man… I was sincerely impressed. But really. What I got, was something that I myself never ever possibly could make. Both as an idea, but my version of Illustrator simply doesn’t allow me to create. He caught the essence in a massively great piece of art.

Since then, Fons is on my list of hero’s. And it’s nice to meet your hero’s, so we since then had several lunches, endless phone calls at night and he always participated in any project I initiated. But more importantly, he simply gained strength as a creative like a tornado over a warm ocean of creativity. And it’s quite unimaginable the load of work he creates and the body of work he has created.

Those phone calls are always a pleasure. Yesterday, he called. Fons now lives and works in Berlin, but he was in the Netherlands for an opening. If we can meet for lunch or drinks. Unfortunately I was swamped with things to do. But that phone call reminded me again how absurd those calls always become. Beautiful. Made me also check out his site again.

Still a hero. See for yourself.