Elise Eekhout

Artist Statement:

Letters and texts have always been a source of inspiration and wonder for Elise Eekhout.

When you think about it, it's a very fascinating fact: text is nothing but a series of characters in a row, to which we have assigned meanings. We can experience a whole range of feelings and emotions just by looking at those signs.

Eekhout combines this fascination of letters and texts with the images she creates in her art. Her work is layered and contains several types of information, including about herself, her feelings and thoughts. She likes works of art that have a story to tell that is not completely 'finished'. “If you can see and retell the story right away, it's boring. There has to be something for the viewer to discover."

Before entering the professional artworld, Elise Eekhout has been a successful graphic designer for over 20 years. She started her own graphic design company whilst studying at St. Joost Art School (Breda, The Netherlands).

At the start of the corona lockdown in the spring of 2020, Eekhout decided to make her dream come true and become an artist. After only one year she managed to break through internationally with exhibitions in India.

Education:

Before entering the professional artworld, Elise Eekhout has been a successful graphic designer for over 20 years. She started her own graphic design company whilst studying at St. Joost Art School (Breda, The Netherlands). 

1994 - 1998 Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam, Graphic Design, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
1996 - 1998 Art School Willem de Kooning, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
1998 - 2002 Art School St. Joost, Breda, The Netherlands

Awards & Distinctions:

2022 A'design Award 'Illustrations Staat van Toezicht'
2009 2th prize, Expeditie 2009
2008 Nomination Expeditie 2008
2005 Nomination Frans Hals Award
2003 3th prize G.J. Thiemefonds
2002 Encouragement prize Thinquest uit de Kunst
2002 Nomination Gouden Penning
1998 Nomination Joop Hof Award

Exhibitions:

2022:
Group exhibition, MicksArt, Emmen
Solo-exhibition, Studio & Gallery, Spijkenisse
2021:
Nationale Kunstdagen, Gorinchem
Art Oasis, National Annual Art Exhibition, Guest Artist, Rajasthan Lalit Kala Academy, Jaipur, India
'Master's Strokes', International Art Exhibition, Raja Ravi Verma Art Gallery, Guest Artist, Subharti University of Fine Arts, Meerut, India
Art Summer Festival, Virtual Artists
The Colorfield Performance, Elst
Pop-up gallery, Waddinxveen

2020:
Vision for Humanity, MindGallery corona-project, since September, online exhibition
Art Rewards, since August, online exhibition
5april1943.be, March, online exhibition

2019:
Joriskerk Amersfoort, group-exhibition, Amersfoort, The Netherlands

2011 - 2018:
Art-sabbatical

2010:
Hofboerderij-gallery, duo-exhibition, Wateringen, The Netherlands
Saltro-Gallery, solo-exhibition, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Kunstuitleen-gallery, solo-exhibition, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
Kunstuitleen-gallery, solo-exhibition, Woerden, The Netherlands

2009:
Kunstuitleen-gallery, solo-exhibition, Woerden, The Netherlands
Library, solo-exhibition, The Hague, The Netherlands
Proviciehuis, group-exhibition, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Kunstuitleen-gallery, group-exhibition, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Kunstuitleen-gallery, group-exhibition, IJsselstein, The Netherlands
Reactive, solo-exhibition, IJsselstein, The Netherlands
Healthclub IJsselstein, solo-exhibition, IJsselstein, The Netherlands

2008:
Healthclub IJsselstein, solo-exhibition, IJsselstein, The Netherlands
Kunst-in-Ahoy, group-exhibition, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
'Voordeligste Salon, group-exhibition, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Kunstuitleen-gallery, group-exhibition, IJsselstein, The Netherlands

2005:
Meermanno Museum, group-ehibition, The Hague, The Netherlands

2004:
Townhall Nieuwegein, various group-exhibitions, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
KCN-gallery, various group-exhibition, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

2003:
Project presentation/workshop, Scryption, Tilburg, The Netherlands
Townhall Rotterdam, solo-exhibition, Marconietoren, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
KCN-gallery, various group-exhibition, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

2002:
KCN-gallery, various group-exhibition, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
St. Joost, graduation-exhibition, Breda, The Netherlands

Professional/Teaching Experience:

2022: 
Workshops primary school, Waddinxveen

Artistic Influences:

(Post) impressionisme
Expressionisme
Contemporary Art
Vincent Van Gogh
Wassily Kandinsky
Paul Klee
Pablo Picasso
Karel Martens
Christian Boltanski

Tags:

Nature, city, expressionisme, colorful, corona, text.