Inspired By: Martijn Doolaard
I am a lover of YouTube as I am so often introduced to amazing creators whom I admire and enjoy following their work. A couple of weeks ago, I was scrolling through my suggestions feed and came across a video from Martijn showing the first year of renovations on two stone cabins located in the Italian Alps. I am a sucker for watching people do renovations especially on places with history so, despite the 3+ hour length of the film, I started watching as I worked knitting a shawl and was immediately drawn in.
Despite originally being a graphic designer by trade, Martijn showcases stunning cinematography and photography. He has a knack for keeping you entertained by just watching him figure out each step in creating a homestead off-grid, often by himself. Martijn is open about his reliance on YouTubers and google to learn a majority of the new skills he needed to amass for this incredible project and I love how when asked if he would sell his films to Netflix, he talks about how much he values the community within YouTube and just wants to participate and give back since he gets so much out of it.
He posts about his work and life weekly on his YouTube channel which you can find here. Martijn takes time here and there to tell us what he is working on but most of the time, you are caught up in his daily movements and the rhythm of his homesteading projects. I find it so peaceful and relaxing while inspiring and creatively stimulating at the same time.
It constantly amazes me how he is able to accomplish so much each day while simultaneously capturing various angles and keeping in mind the images he wishes to produce. I also really love how intentional he is and respectful of his belongings. He takes care to keep his shoes polished, prepares healthy meals for himself, enjoys views with a cup of coffee, learns to paint in the evening all while doing more productive work in a day than most of us, me included. I aspire to find a similar flow in each of my days. Martijn makes it all appear to be so effortless and fun which is one of his many talents and keeps me coming back each week to keep up with his daily life and dreamlike cinematography.
Before purchasing the stone cabins in, I believe late 2021, he made a name for himself as a travel writer, photographer and filmmaker cycling around the world. He spent a year on a bike traveling from Amsterdam to Singapore and then another year traveling from Vancouver to Patagonia. He is originally from the Netherlands. He has all this listed on his YouTube bio and has published books about his travels.
I highly recommend you check out his work and let me know your thoughts. If you want to start where I did, here is the first video I watched of his: One Year: Renovating Two Stone Cabins in the Italian Alps
Feature image of Martijn Doolaard via Sharp Magazine here.