Gustin Keser, Dutch-Canadian Bronze Sculptor & Entrepreneur. Monumental Art.
Trudy Loucks Keser, licensed Holistic Therapist, Interventions Practitioner & International Health Trainer. Private Vitality Practice.
Historical Context
Life-long Inventivity
Gustin is the signature name of Guus Keser, born in s'-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands. Since 1999 he divides his time between Europe and Canada.
He founded and created Keser Uitzendgroep, a unique, nationwide Temporary Help Service Organization known under his own name, which was one of the first of its kind in The Netherlands. This success gave him the incredible opportunity to return full time to his passion for bronze sculpting, a passion which he had since very young. He studied at the Antwerp Academy of Art to launch this 2nd career.
Throughout his professional career he has dedicated himself to unique business developments, avant-gardist projects, architectural renovations, and diversified bronze sculpting commissions.
For more than 30 years, Gustin has been creating life-size sculptures in bronze and later also in the more modern polyester resin, which uses the first preparation technique as that of bronze. He started his first Art Gallery, Galjoen in Den Bosch, which developed into the creation of his 1st Sculpture Park in Coebax, one of the first private Sculpture Gardens of Holland. This Park was over several hectares with up to 100 sculptures of 30 or more European sculptors. These sculptors quickly became friends and colleagues : Marcus Ravenswaay, his first sculptor teacher ; Nic Jonk, Fons Bemelmans, Armand Loveniers, Bart van Hoek, Ruud Wackers, Marga Brey, Paul de Swaef ... to name but a few. As gallery owner, he was able to purchase sculptures of these sculptors which helped him to expand his own sculpture Collection for his gardens and at the same time, he supported the sculptors in furthering their art. To meet this objective, he prepared exceptional, 4-color print sculpture publicity which he circulated to 100’s of addresses from his business connections, large Companies, and private individuals. He even presented individualized sculptor video films during Art dinners. He was responsible for major fund-raising initiatives to promote sculptors. For example, Nic Jonk was able to realize the dream of his own gardens due to the enormous contract Gustin signed with Nashua. These sculptors remained a tight group of sculpting colleagues and friends of Art who followed him from Holland to France to exhibit in ‘SCVLTVRA’, Gustin’s new Art Cultural Centre in Châteauneuf de Grasse, where he added a group of French sculptors : Nicolas Lavarenne, Jean Marie Fondacaro, Michèle Lecca, Cyril de la Patellière … his sublime ‘Scultura’ Art Cultural Centre was a first in the south of France, the perfection of his initial Coebax creation. Monthly classical Concerts were given, organized by his Association of over 500 members, combined with tours of the sculpture gardens.
A Canadian slogan which he greatly admires, ‘Inspiring the future by honoring the past’ expresses his most recent sculpted historical work : a monumental Triptych honoring 75 years of Peace and War to thank Canadians for having liberated his country of Holland in WWII, with the urgent message : to never forget the price of our freedoms of today.
His life-size sculpture, ‘Rennende soldaten’ (Running Soldiers) in Cortensteel was a 1st commission to commemorate 30 years of Peace since WWII and is located along the Zuid Willemsvaart in 's-Hertogenbosch. He has a vivid memory of 2 Canadians, Frank and Archie coming to his home post-war and he has been looking for them all his life. In 2015, with them in mind, and wanting to again honor Canada for liberating the Netherlands, he sculpted a Commemorative Veterans Vase in white dolomite marking 70 years of Peace following WWII, which was acquired by Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, where the largest number of remaining Veterans are cared for. In the side panel of his Vase, (a vase with 21 sculpted figures), the Underground Resistance can be seen of which his father was part of.
Creativity, in all of its forms, shapes and colors is his oxygen. An earlier sculpture of Gustin’s entitled, ‘Imagination, your very best friend’ was created during his Keser Uitzendgroep business days and still speaks for him today. Younger he often questioned : ‘zal ik de slaaf of de meester van mijn ideeën zijn’ … ‘will I be the slave or the master of my ideas ? ’ Today he says he is both !
Gustin's entrepreneurial drive along with his strengths in sales and marketing have opened many doors for him into new cultures, to create and to integrate, sparked by his love of history and people. He currently sculpts in his atelier on the island of Ile d’Orléans, 15 min from the city of Quebec.
Gustin welcomes every new challenge with vibrant energy and tireless drive and continues to passionately mentor and support many artists and young entrepreneurs.
Gustin's Sculptures
From Europe to Canada
Gustin's work is known for the 4th dimension, that of movement. Many of his sculptures especially the polyester sculptures, capture the elements of wind and can be admired floating on islands, in lakes, canals, and swimming pools. Other larger sculptures float like a boat or turn gently in the forces of nature to inspire fantasy. Many of Gustin's life-size bronzes are found in private collections, private gardens, commissioned for public squares, or can be found at entrances to business locations.
It is noteworthy to mention a particularity created in 2 of Gustin’s sculptures which touches many visitors, that of creating 2 faces sculpted into one : The Marathon Man has one side showing the elation of the run, while the other expresses the pain of the endurance. In the sculpture of Pope JP II, one side of the face is of the young, dynamic Pope while the other side is the face of the Pope in his final days.
Testimonials
Gustin Keser est un artiste polyvalent et talentueux dont l’ensemble de l’œuvre est empreint d’une grande sensibilité et d’une force évocatrice considérable. Son art témoigne d’une recherche constante d’élégance et de pureté et dégage une puissance formelle, une sensibilité manifeste et un dynamisme spatial impressionnant qui confère à ses sculptures une profondeur émouvante. Chez Gustin, l’émotion commande le geste et le talent modèle la forme. Son art est un art qui nous interpelle, par la délicatesse de ses lignes, l’intensité de ses formes et le lyrisme de la composition.
En effet, malgré ce lourd matériau qu’est le bronze, certaines sculptures pivotent sur elles-mêmes, tournoient dans un cerceau ou se meuvent dans une relation dynamique avec d’autres personnages, tel un mobile, sous l’action d’eau.
Mais le plus surprenant, ce sont les sculptures en résine de polyester … Ces sculptures créent un impact visuel impressionnant, beaucoup d’animation et ajoutent un élément esthétique incontestable a l’environnement. A tout cela, s’ajoute la couleur : bleu Provence, jaune soleil, rouge feu, le polyester permet une animation … étonnante et spectaculaire par ses couleurs scintillantes.
Doris, Diplômée en Histoire de l’art
Gustin réalise depuis 1994 son rêve, créer des statues en bronze qui portent sa signature et les exposer partout en Europe
Sa passion pour la sculpture et son penchant inné pour la créativité se sont révélés de l’enfance. Il n’a que 12 ans lorsqu’il commence à réaliser ses premières statues façonnées dans le bois ou pétries dans la terre. Son caractère gai et entreprenant lui permet de développer dans son entreprise l’image de l’art ou il joue avec l’architecture et la communication par l’art. Gustin se plait à créer des lieux pour travailler avec optimisme et bonheur. Gustin chérit les hommes, la musique, la poésie. Il aime l’art et les métiers qui laissent aux êtres la liberté. Celle de l’enthousiasme, de l’énergie, de l’optimisme.
Brigitte, Cannes - Dossier de Presse
Cinq coups de cœur, au moins
Gustin Keser a conçu ses créations de façon que la nature et le visiteur leur donne vie. Plusieurs des bronzes sont articules, tels des mobiles dont le moindre mouvement contribue à mettre en valeur.
Paul, Journal de Montréal
Sculptures en Mouvement
Des œuvres d’art sous l’action de l’eau et du vent … qui sont là pour vous tonifier le cœur et partager vos ébats. Quatrième dimension aux œuvres : le mouvement. L’anneau, sous l’action du vent, pivote sur un axe à billes. C’est magique !
Gilles, Le Soleil
FROM CLAY TO BRONZE
FROM FOAM TO POLYESTER
Sculpted Awards & Trophies
Sculpted Trophies originated from the generosity of Gustin. With every life-size sculpture commission, he produced small replicas as a thank-you to his client.
All started with the Trophée de Beauté of Miss France. ‘Together the Best’ is another example of this, as is the sculpture of Second Life and the replica of his sculpture ‘Klavertje Vijf (5 Clovers) holding the Keser Logo in one hand. Trophies became, and still are, Gustin’s trademark today.
Business Ventures
KESER UITZENDGROEP, Guus Keser's groundbreaking Temporary Help Service Organization, one of the first of its kind, was founded in the Netherlands under his own name. To this day, he says (in his own words) that this was "the best creation of his life". "Reken op Keser", was his slogan, (you can count on Keser) – and you could ! This was the driving force for all of his employees and this slogan was promoted in all weekly newspapers throughout Holland.
There was no limit to the creative and entrepreneurial boom of this Company. It provided short term employment for women and men, with many finding permanent jobs. Gustin went on to mentor other entrepreneurs developing exponential business models.
In the timeframe of 20 years the number of agencies grew to 100, the employees to 500 and the turnover to hundreds of millions of guilders. Because of the Merger of Adia-Switzerland, Gustin was able to buy- out a colleague’s business, Actie 68 in the west of Holland, to become a national organization. His strength in Publicity and Promotion was one of the secrets to his success along with his endless creative ideas with which he empowered his employees.
It is not surprising that his logo of ‘Fun and Fighting Spirit’ has followed him throughout his life to this day in all his businesses & sculpting ventures. People still talk enthusiastically about the Keser Uitzendgroep years & claim those were the best years of their lives. Gustin created an atmosphere of collegiality like no other. For each employee there were exceptional opportunities for personal growth and career development. He created the unique circumstances to celebrate the almost monthly official openings of new Agencies always inviting colleagues from his central administration to be part of the event. In this way, the entire company was part of the ongoing expansion and celebrations.
Keser Uitzendgroep was like a tight family, where all employees worked in close Teams. Gustin proudly refers to these talented employees to whom he credits the success of his company.
The Keser group doubled its turnover every year with more than a million people having worked for them. In those years Gustin’s company was an integral part of the growth throughout Europe in which Keser, and Adia merged with Ecco to become Adecco worldwide.
Growth
How a small office machine company can grow into an agency for typists and then into a national organization for temporary work in the Netherlands.
How a vocation for sculpting can grow into an Art Gallery and into Sculpture Gardens, with Concerts in SCVLTVRA, South of France.
How the restoration of two monument buildings (17 century) can become ‘Restaurant de Koets’ making the Korte Putstraat in Den Bosch THE best restaurant street in the south of the Netherlands.
How the love for Sailing can develop into a unique project in St Tropez, France.
How the transformation of an agricultural Domaine can become a Gastronomical Village.
How an encounter with Canadians can grow into a sculpted Triptych honoring 75 years of War and Peace, with the expression of eternal gratitude to the Canadians for having liberated The Netherlands in WWII.
How a second wife in your life can bring you to the Art of Vitality.
Life can only be understood backwards ; but it must be lived forwards.
- Søren Kierkegaard
Monumental Sculptures
Gustin's latest sculpted works focus on bringing reality back to humanity.
Heart & Art of Vitality
The Psychology of Vitality
Gustin and I are an accomplished ‘Art & Vitality Team’ dedicated to
the Art of Vitality !
In 1999, we created a new beginning together on the beautiful island of Ile d’Orleans, 15 minutes from Quebec City, founding and developing a state-of the art, residential Art & Vitality Retreat which eventually earned the highest standing by the Ministry of Quebec. This had been a dream of mine during hectic international business years, to set up a Centre with the A-Z in wellness facilities for business colleagues and friends, needing rest and rejuvenation, a relatively new concept on the market. I developed a hands-on, holistic Lifestyle Management Program and was one of the first to incorporate ozone saunas (we studied ozone therapy in Vancouver, B.C.) and far infra-red saunas for their healing benefits. These healing tools, combined with re-energizing cupping/Chinese Medicine therapeutic techniques, cardiac coherence, counselling, and targeted nutritional coaching towards rebuilding optimal Vitality, provide the total mind & body package. Benefits include improved stress and anxiety management; emotional rebalancing, immune system reinforcement, reduction in the risk of depression and adrenal burn-out, a regain of mental & physical energy, along with the experience of lasting vibrancy. Successful weight loss packages are coached using the scientific tool of the Glycemic Index.
The transformative power of the arts has always been an integral part to my therapeutic approach. Art therapy is available since the initial conception of the Retreat. Gustin sculpted a series of emotional sculptures which are purposefully integrated into the Vitality process work. In the ‘70’s for his Keser Temporary Help Services, he promoted ‘Een nieuwe manier van werken & leven (A new way of working and living). In 2000, we co-wrote, “The Art of Vitality”, FIT for personal and professional success.
My targeted and individualized health programs help ensure a strong commitment from my diversified range of clients and guarantee individual success. In 2016, I studied in the field of Mental Health, becoming an accredited HeartMath Interventions Practitioner. I now train the tools for transforming Depression, Trauma and Anxiety within my Vitality Formula.
TODAY residential possibilities and therapeutic day treatments are available in my Vitality Practice. I offer online Vitality training and continue to coach former clients in Europe as well as new clients within Canada. A new training package ‘Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Illnesses’ is addressing urgent needs today.
Background :
I graduated with a B.A. degree in Psychology from Bishop’s University and completed a post- graduate degree in Education at McGill University in the province of Quebec, Canada. From initially teaching in a unique bilingual private school in Montreal, I went on to teach in the international schools of Amsterdam, Paris, Nice, & Saanen, Switzerland, prior to embarking on an exceptional career with an American educational Publisher with European headquarters in the Netherlands. This brought me back into the international schools throughout Europe as sales and marketing manager for the School Division to promote teaching programs & to train teachers and administration in product implementation.
In the UK, I studied Integrative Medicine and body-oriented psychotherapy prior to launching my 2nd career in holistic health for mind and body wellness. I have since developed health programs for my former International schools and delivered Vitality workshops for students, teachers, and staff.
My 2nd profession of health now spans over 25 years of international work where Brain, (neuroplasticity), Heart, and Optimum Nutrition are key, strengthening the psychological attitude to Life & building personal resilience.
My early roots in the magnificent region known as the Kingdom of the Saguenay north of Quebec City, accessed by the majestic Fjord of the Saguenay River, greatly impacted my life. The fjord’s pristine natural beauty and panoramic walls of immense granite rock have kept me in awe of the power of Nature all my life. Arvida, my birthplace in this Saguenay region, was a Company town which got its name from the letters in founder Arthur Vining Davis’s name. 270 homes were built in 135 days to meet the needs of WWII. Arvida had the largest aluminum smelter in the world at that time and Shipshaw, the most important hydroelectric power station for which engineers were recruited internationally which led my parents to the region in 1942 from Ontario. ‘That's where two-thirds of the aluminum was used in the war effort by the Allies during the Second World War’ which helped win the war.
My brother, Terry and I grew up with over 39 nationalities, just like the United Nations, hence our curiosity of cultures and love of travel. In 2017, Arvida officially became the 13ieth historical site in the province of Quebec for ‘its distinctive architecture, urban planning, and landscaping as well as its historical character’. Arvida is once again a contestant to become a UNESCO Heritage site in 2027, having not been chosen in 2017… a project for which my brother is a proud Ambassador.
Testimonials
Trudy and Gus have been there. They understand and they know how you feel. Their home is yours, to explore the boundaries of your mind and body. They allow you to let go of the stress and strain and to find yourself again … to find your life’s dancing tune !
Kate – France 2000
It is the person of the artist who brings the statues to Life. His emotion, his artistic gifts, his "joie de vivre". And you, Trudy, with all your expertise, it is your talent of giving what makes this place a Source.
Frits – Holland 2002
Trudy’s Vitality means more than energy. It is the capacity to grow and develop with physical and intellectual vigour. Working on Vitality with Trudy means feeling whole and rediscovering how unique an individual you are.
Chris – Belgium 2010
Over a period of one and a half year Trudy acted as my mentor and my virtual angel.
Through her dedication and understanding, warmth and no-nonsense approach I was able to mentally settle down.
Via our e-mail communication Trudy patiently listened to me lamenting, she showed me my strengths and eventually enabled me to use all my life experiences to become a balanced person, forever grateful.
Viv – The Netherlands 2022
