<p> Louise and Martine Fokkens, the 70-year-old twin Dutch sisters living on the outskirts of Amsterdam, have spent most of their lives doing two things -- painting and prostitution.<br />The Fokkens shot to fame overnight when a documentary featuring their lives premiered at a Dutch film festival last November, Xinhua reported. <br /><br />Later, a memoir of their career spanning over 50 years at the famous Red Light district in the heart of Amsterdam also turned out to be a best-seller.<br /><br />They have kept their colourful paintings to themselves for decades. Although they had a small exhibition at a local church in 1995, when neither its organiser nor visitors had been aware of their full-time job.<br /><br />"For us, painting is a sort of escape, not from our work but from everything that is around. I can paint all day long, and I feel satisfied when I finish," said Louise who is a more professional painter than her sister Martine.<br /><br />"When our mother died, I painted her grave with flowers on it, and it gave me the opportunity to express my sad feelings," Louise said.<br /><br />She said she often needed Martine to be around her when focusing on one painting, otherwise she would feel nervous.<br /><br />The twin sisters learned painting from their painter uncle in childhood. Their family also had a tradition of playing violin as well as other musical instruments.<br /><br />Living now with two Chihuahuas dogs outside the city, Martine still commutes to work by tram thrice a week. She makes money as the "oldest window girl" in the district where hundreds of brothels attracts millions of tourists annually.<br /><br />"Martine needs the money to get by, and our old clients also need her. We feel like growing old together with them," Louise said, who quit the profession about a year ago due to health issues.<br /><br />Prostitution was legalised and regulated in the Netherlands over a decade ago.<br /></p>
<p> Louise and Martine Fokkens, the 70-year-old twin Dutch sisters living on the outskirts of Amsterdam, have spent most of their lives doing two things -- painting and prostitution.<br />The Fokkens shot to fame overnight when a documentary featuring their lives premiered at a Dutch film festival last November, Xinhua reported. <br /><br />Later, a memoir of their career spanning over 50 years at the famous Red Light district in the heart of Amsterdam also turned out to be a best-seller.<br /><br />They have kept their colourful paintings to themselves for decades. Although they had a small exhibition at a local church in 1995, when neither its organiser nor visitors had been aware of their full-time job.<br /><br />"For us, painting is a sort of escape, not from our work but from everything that is around. I can paint all day long, and I feel satisfied when I finish," said Louise who is a more professional painter than her sister Martine.<br /><br />"When our mother died, I painted her grave with flowers on it, and it gave me the opportunity to express my sad feelings," Louise said.<br /><br />She said she often needed Martine to be around her when focusing on one painting, otherwise she would feel nervous.<br /><br />The twin sisters learned painting from their painter uncle in childhood. Their family also had a tradition of playing violin as well as other musical instruments.<br /><br />Living now with two Chihuahuas dogs outside the city, Martine still commutes to work by tram thrice a week. She makes money as the "oldest window girl" in the district where hundreds of brothels attracts millions of tourists annually.<br /><br />"Martine needs the money to get by, and our old clients also need her. We feel like growing old together with them," Louise said, who quit the profession about a year ago due to health issues.<br /><br />Prostitution was legalised and regulated in the Netherlands over a decade ago.<br /></p>