For an extensive illustrated overview of my work, please see the essay Kloosterboer on Melchers that artist/writer Lorena Kloosterboer published at Medium.com in June 2020
When I was young I studied at the Rietveld Art Academy in Amsterdam, but I had to leave after only one year on account of too many other obligations.
I have always tried to keep drawing and painting, although it wasn't easy to find any spare time being a single mother with full-time jobs at Iberia Airlines in Amsterdam and the Academic Medical Center (now Amsterdam UMC) respectively. From 1994 I was able to work part-time and in 2009 I could finish my work at the AMC and start painting full-time. Apart from the basic year at the Rietveld Academy and a few short courses, I am largely self-taught.
My work is realistic-figurative, with a strong preference for oil paint. Generally using bristle brushes the brush strokes are often clearly visible. For all of my work in oil I use the limited palette of Claude Monet, which are five colours besides the whites. I sometimes use a little ceruleum blue for the skies and some lemon yellow to brighten the whites when necessary.
All used reference photos are my own except the ones I used for the watercolours of male nudes that I had made in the Gulf of Mexico by a friend.
Through the years my main themes have been the Dutch North Sea coasts (series The North Sea) with their cool light and the warm Italian life in all it’s aspects (series Italian Scenes). The Rooms with a View are predominantly situated in Italy. Since 2013 I have been working on the series Siena Palio Portraits, which are portraits of modern Italian men and boys who – wearing wigs and historical costumes – take part in the Historical Procession, the Corteo Storico, that precedes the Siena Palio, the famous horse race that takes place twice a year. (More information about the Siena Palio can be found on www.ilpalio.org). Belonging to this I recently began a mini series, The Children of Siena. I have also made a small series of still lifes and every now and then I like to paint a commissioned portrait or other subject. In the chapter Various you can find paintings that do not fit in any of the themes, like for instance flowers or animals. At the very beginning of my painting career I enjoyed painting Watercolours. From some works I had made so called Giclées in a limited edition, high quality fine art prints which are available through this website.
From 2001 to 2012 I have been working in The Netherlands and in Italy (Siena) alternately, and although this caused some restlesness, I found the contrast in daily life, light and colour inspiring and challenging. From April 2012 I have settled in The Netherlands permanently.
In 2024, after a ballot, I was admitted as a member to the Artists Center Bergen (KCB). This renowned Artists Association was founded in 1947 by Charley Toorop, Adriaan Roland Holst and Constant Nieuwenhuis and consists of visual artists, writers and poets, photographers, musicians, theater makers and more. The KCB is housed in Museum Kranenburgh in Bergen, The Netherlands. I feel honored to be part of it.
In 2013 I have been made a member of the Group of Contemporary Dutch Masters of realistic and figurative art that exhibit at the Museum Møhlmann in Appingedam (Northern Netherlands) a few times a year.
Invitation from this gallery in Zaragoza/Spain to participate in the exhibition celebrating the 20th anniversary “20 Años en 20×20” of this gallery in 2019. This traveling exhibition, in which 200 of the best contemporary realist painters in the world participate, consists of small works of 20×20 cm. and was held at Palazzo Bantierra in Zaragoza and at the MEAM Museum in Barlona in 2019. In March 2020 a third exhibition was planned in Palazzo Einaudi in Chivasso (Turin/Italy), but was postponed due to the Corona crisis and was held in December/January 2021/2022.
Besides at the Museum Møhlmann my work is/was exhibited at Gallery Rijlaarsdam in Nieuwkoop, Gallery De Vreugd & Hendriks in Zandvoort, Gallery Lauswolt in Olterterp, Gallery Bonnard in Nuenen, Gallery Staphorsius in Westzaan, Gallery Montulet in The Hague and Gouda, Gallery Pictura in Aijen, Gallery Terbeek in Beetsterzwaag, Gallery Autrevue in Heerenveen, Gallery Het Moment in Zierikzee, all in the Netherlands, and at Galería ArteLibre in Zaragoza/Spain, Abend Gallery in Denver/Colorado and the Museum MEAM in Barcelona/Spain.
On Artsy.net and 1stDibs, the large and succesful virtual art websites, some of my works are exhibited and for sale through Abend Gallery in Denver and 33Contemporary Gallery in Chicago.
The portraits Siena Palio III (Istrice) and Siena Palio XI (Torre) from the series Siena Palio Portraits were semi-finalists in 2015 and in 2018 respectively in the prestigious BP Portrait Award competition of the National Portrait Gallery in London.
The paintings The Shell Seekers/North Sea Blues and Dutch Delight III/North Sea Blues from the series The North Sea were selected in 2017 and 2019 respectively as semi-finalists of Figurativas, one of the greatest international competitions for contemporary realistic/figurative art. The compatition is organized every two years by the Museo Europeo d’Art Modern (MEAM). The names and works of the semi-finalists are published in the accompanying catalogue.
The portraits Siena Palio V (Comune) and Siena Palio XVIII (Tartuca) were selected as semi-finalists of this important annual internation exhibition on contemporary portraiture in 2017 and 2020 respectively The competition is organized by Galería ArteLibre in collaboration with the MEAM Museum in Barcelona. The names of the semifinalists of 2020 and an image of their work are featured in the special catalogue ModPortrait 2020.
In 2019 the portrait Siena Palio XIII (Nicchio) was finalist in the category Figurative in the 14th International Salon Competition, the largest international competition on contemporary realism (almost 5000 submissions from 80 countries). This portrait was featured in the beautiful accompanying very heavy catalogue.
In 2020 the diptych Siena Palio XVI and XVII (Aquila) and the work Dutch Delight III/North Sea Blues became semi-finalists in the categories Portraiture and Figurative respectively. The names of the semi-finalists and the images of their works are featured on the website of the ARC
In 2022 the oil painting Anneke in Wassenaar/North Sea Blues was selected semi-finalist in the categorie Figurative of the 16th International Salon. The image of the work is on the ARC website.
In October 2016 two portraits of my series Siena Palio Portraits were selected and exhibited at the Weekend of the Portrait in Amsterdam, which was organized by the Dutch Portrait Award Foundation.
In 2017 a portrait of my series Siena Palio Portraits was selected as semi-finalist for the Dutch Portrait Award 2017.
In June 2019 my (commissioned) portrait “Prof.Dr.M.J. Heineman and Amsterdam“ was nominated for The Dutch Portrait Award 2019. This portrait, together with 49 other nominations, was exhibited at the castle Slot Zeist from September 1st through November 17th, 2019.
This portrait was commissioned by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Academic Medical Center (now Amsterdam UMC) for the portrait gallery of their department. It hangs alongside a portrait in oil paint of Prof. Van Bouwdijk Bastiaanse by artist Edgar Fernhaut and the portrait of Prof. Kloosterman by famous photographer Paul Huf, to mention only a few.
The painting Room 32/Venetian Summer was selected for Summer Expo 2012 with the theme LOVE that took place at the Gemeente Museum (Municipal Museum) in The Hague.
Please check the different chapters Exhibitions and Publications on this website.
On Facebook I have a personal and an Art account. On my Art account you can follow me and learn about new work, recent news about exhibitions, publications, etc. and other general news about figurative/realistic art.
On Facebook I have been made member of the artist groups PoetsArtists (USA), The Representational Art Group (USA), Grandmasters of Fine Art (GB), Master Painters and Sculptors (FR) and Italian Museum of Contemporary Art.
Also on Instagram you can follow me to find out about recent work and other activities.
At Artsy you will find work of mine that is available online through the galeries 33Contemporary Chicago and Abend Gallery Denver. At 1stDibs you will find work of mine that is available online through Abend Gallery Denver.
My paintings have not only been sold in The Netherlands, but can also be found in collections in Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, France, The United States and Australia.
June 2021