Ton Naron

Ton Naron, the creator of Atriske Project, is a Dutch sculptor living and working in the Netherlands. His primary materials are wood and stone. His work embodies his constant curiosity and interest in the transformational processes of humans, the natural world, and the planet as a whole. Ton’s method is an unusual one as he is not able to visualize as many artists can. Therefore, he enters into a deeply intuitive relationship with wood or stone and the dance begins. The emergence of the nature and form of the sculpture is dictated, so to speak, by the material itself.

Trained as a psychiatric nurse, Ton was the head of two psychiatric day hospitals and later became certified as a European psychotherapist specializing in the work of trauma and forgiveness. Ton worked in the healthcare system for 50 years. An innovator, his work included the development of his own model for trauma therapy and the establishment of a private practice. For many years, Ton worked with refugees from the various cultures and countries who seek asylum in the Netherlands. Their stories and their pain deepened his desire to see a world transformed. His travels and experiences with the indigenous wisdom keepers in Peru infuse and inspire his work with his love for the earth and all her creatures.

Ton’s deep love of art emerged early in his life. He has always been moved by color, form, and composition. This is reflected in his love of photography, interior design, and sculpture. Although his life took a different path, the artist’s soul never lost its longing to create. Seven years ago he closed his private practice and picked up the hammer and chisel. Thus began a romance with stone and wood which has resulted in forms ranging from the abstract to the figurative. They speak together of a world both beautiful and shocking, inviting and urging an evolution of human awareness.