“It is known that in the Japanese arts of poetry and painting, extensive mental and technical practice is essential, in order to be able to proceed from a great inner tranquility and perfect concentration to complete a work in one go. To achieve these optimal conditions of body and mind, the artist strives to 'empty' himself in order to be 'filled' again as is were, so that space is created for the unexpected. It is in this attitude that Verdijk recognizes himself." Maureen Trappeniers, conservator of the Noordbrabants Museum, Den Bosch, in her essay ‘Everything moves’, published in the catalogue of the exhibit ‘Gerard Verdijk – 'Artwork on Paper of Forty Years’, 1998

Gerard Verdijk (1934 Boxmeer – 2005 The Hague) was an acclaimed artist who started his art education at the Vrije Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam, after which he proceeded with his studies at the Nationaal Hoger Instituut van Schone Kunsten in Antwerp and diverse art studios and academies in Paris. His works have received many awards, among which the Koninklijke Subsidie voor de Vrije Schilderkunst. During his lifetime Verdijk had solo exhibits in, for example, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague and a selection of German Museums. Today many of his works are to be found in the collections of museums and institutes in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, England and Japan.