As a child I felt and knew I was different than my siblings. Much later I learned that my right side of the brain was developed more than my left side. In a family of brilliant left side thinking and working people I danced my life in between them.
In the summer of 1974, I moved to Maastricht with Govert Heikoop. We knew each other a couple of weeks. He had tutored me in perspective drawing. He was in his final year of his MOb teaching degree in drawing. One of the subjects I still had to study for as my teacher had become ill in the beginning of this year, to be able to pass my exam to become a drawing teacher.I became a textile teacher in 1972, in 1974 I finished my drawing degree.
We got married October 17, 1975.
During the 3 years in Maastricht I started to develop my thoughts as an artist. Professor Ko Sarneel came to the Burght in Heer, where we lived (he was one of the teachers at the Jan van Eyck Academy) to review and critize my work. These works would finally lead to my acceptance at Cranbrook Art Academy in Michigan. USA
This work is a compellation of different knitted pieces. I found them in one of the schools I was teaching. Students learned how to knit to teach this technique to kids they would teach after finishing this school.
Govert was studying at the Jan van Eyck academy in Maastricht from 1974 until 1977. I was teaching textiles, drawing and crafts at secondary schools and started my professional life as an artist. Professor Sarneel (+ 2012) came to our house in Heer, near Maastricht, and has been so kind to guide me through the first developments I made as an artist. His wisdom and lessons were the base from where I developed ever since.