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Marijke van Dijk
A short history
 I was born in 1959 in Amsterdam, grew up in The Hague, studied in Wageningen, and, after my marriage, moved to Lochem, where I have since lived.
Drawing, painting, being creative in many ways, with many materials and in different techniques, is my lifelong passion. However, because in my youth being an artist was not considered a serious profession, I didn’t even think about Art College. Instead I got a degree at Wageningen Agricultural University in 1984, and was planning to go into third world development aid.
But I fell in love with a Dutch farmer, married in 1983, and had four children. And then eventually I decided to follow my other passion and give my artistic talents a serious chance.
Creative development and selected work
(For a more extensive overview of my work, see portfolio)
 I attended classes with several excellent artists, to whom I'm thankful for all they have taught me. Although I haven't completed an Art College qualification the quality of my work earned acceptance for post-graduate courses at ArtEZ Art Academy in Arnhem, in 2006 and 2007.
 Up to 2005 I mostly made drawings and paintings (oils and acrylic), and mixed-media works. My first solo exhibition was in 1995.
 By now my repertoire, except drawing and painting, includes land-art, textile-art, etching and other printing techniques, and bookbinding. I’ve had a number of exhibitions at home and abroad (Denmark, Kirsten Kjaers Museum), commissions for installations, murals and portraits. I gave drawing and painting classes and workshops, in which I also worked with the interaction between music and painting.
 In my work I concentrate on man and nature. In both I seek similar aspects: the seasons of human life, and the seasons of nature. My work is about contrasts: light and darkness, vulnerability and nakedness, silence and quiet, or gaiety, flowering, dance. And about the longing to reach for, touch the elusive, invisible aspects of our world.
 I participated in several land-art project, a.o. 'De Andere Kruisweg', a contemporary Way of the Cross, which was realized in the spring of 2006 in the woods around Lochem, where I live.
 In 2007, following this particular land-art project, I made fourteen Stations of the Cross (mixed media) which were and still are exhibited in several places throughout the country. As a result these works were in 2008 published in a book called ‘Een diepe voor in de aarde’ (‘A deep furrow in the earth’), with texts and poems written by Steven van Campen (Published by Skandalon, ISBN 978-90-76564-52-4). ). In this book, a contemporary and subjective interpretation of the traditional Way of the Cross, we tried to portray the path of life which every human being goes, in the cycle of birth, flowering, death and new beginning. This is a theme that never fails to fascinate me.
 In 2008 I made the robe ‘Soulskin’ (hemp and hand-painted silk). I wore this garment for a performance photo-shoot on the North Sea beach.
 In 2009 I made a 6x4 meter robe ‘Life’s Work’ (linen, hand-painted silk, rope and wood), for the Choir of the medieval Gudula Church in Lochem, on the occasion of the yearly Requiem concert on All Souls' Day.
Graphic art
.jpg) In 2005 I was introduced to the art of non-toxic intaglio by graphic artist and art teacher Elsbeth Zimmerman, and by Filip Le Roy from the Art Academy in Brussel, who introduced the technique in The Netherlands. Since then I have equipped my studio with what is necessary to make non-toxic intaglio and photopolymer prints.
 A first exhibition of my printed work will take place in the fall of 2011 in Art Gallery ‘Kunstlokaal11’, in Borculo.
 I started linoleum cutting in 2007, thanks to friend and art teacher Ida Kers. Since then I have made numerous linocuts, which vary from small works including a series of nine illustrations to the Russian story of ‘Wassilissa the Beautiful’, to a 70x100 cm large impression of ferns.
In 2010 I have learned the craft of bookbinding. I have hand-printed and made several books since, among which ‘Over Leven’ , and ‘Tollund Man’.
 ‘Over Leven’ is the story of Jan Tolkamp (1921-2010), who shared with me his memories of the concentration camps where he was imprisoned during World War II. This book is now exhibited at the World War II Memorial Centre in Amersfoort.
 ‘Tollund Man’ is a philosophical reflection on the Tollund bog-body, found in the Danish Bjaelskovdal moor in 1950. This hand-printed book is a leporello, containing a combination of etchings, collographies and poetry. In September 2011 this book will be exhibited in a group exhibition of artist’s books, in the Zelhem Library Art Gallery.
Further information
For a more extensive overview of my work, see portfolio
Any questions? Please feel free to contact me:
ateliermarijke@gmail.com
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