Maria Neefjes (1943) - Wassende maan

Maria Neefjes
Maria Neefjes is a Dutch visual artist, renowned for her paintings, drawings and gouaches in which personal themes and travel memories come together. Her work is characterized by lyrical imagery, subtle colors and references to Indigenous art and decorative patterns.

Key facts
* Place of birth: Noordwijk aan Zee, Netherlands
* Education: Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
* Disciplines: Painting, drawing, gouache, pastel
* Exhibitions since: 1982
* Represented in: Private, museum and corporate collections worldwide

Education and background
Neefjes grew up in a large artistic family where music and storytelling were central. After her training at the Royal Academy she developed a personal style in which figuration and imagination meet. She lived for ten years with composer Otto Ketting, with whom she had a daughter.

Themes and style
Her oeuvre links autobiographical elements with universal symbolism. During travels with her husband Rob van Hagen, Neefjes collected impressions of local ornamentation, which recur as rhythmic patterns in her compositions. The works often bear poetic titles such as Our Man in Madrid and Lovers by the Sea, and reveal a fascination with memory and inner experience.

Exhibitions and recognition
Since 1982, Neefjes has held annual solo exhibitions in the Netherlands and in countries such as Spain, France, the United States, Belgium, Japan, Hong Kong, Portugal and Denmark. Her paintings are included in collections of museums, companies and private collectors around the world.

Techniques
Neefjes works with a range of media: oil paint, tempera, pastel, gouache and watercolour. She uses the different media to create transparent layers and textures that strengthen the narrative dimension of her visual language.