Christiaan van Heest was born in Amsterdam on 5 November 1959. Both parents were Dutch.
They got acquainted during World War II while his father had to hide from the Germans. Love at first sight.
His interest in art manifested itself at the age of four. He wanted to be a surgeon or Rembrandt. These choices were based on seeing open heart surgery images in a magazine and prints of Rembrandt paintings in a book. At the age of five, he was already painting copies of Willem II Cigar box portraits with watercolours. At home there were some original works, some etchings made
by Willem Witsen.
Sometime later his father took him to the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam where he met the Nachtwacht in real what probably boosted his interest in Art.
At the age of six, Christiaan moved with his parents, brother and two sisters to Belgium, Rubens’ turf. De Pinte a small village near Ghent was the first stop. Here he made his first improvised easel with a few planks of wood merged on a small table. The family moved e few times but stayed very near to Ghent.
At the primary school Christiaan stood out with his drawing. The school director
Mr. van der Haagen advised his parents to send him to the Art Academy.
And so, he went.
Education
1979-1983: Akademie voor Schone Kunsten (KASK) Gent, Belgie
1983-1984: Rijks normaalschool Gent
