Wencke Vinks (1975) is a Dutch painter, born in Tilburg. At a young age, it was already clear to her which path she would follow. In order to develop her creative skills, she studied at SintLucas and later at the Design Academy (department man and environment) in Eindhoven. During her studies, she explored painting in her free time. From the age of 20, in addition to her work as an art director, she has been involved in painting. Over the years, her deep-rooted love for painting increasingly prevailed. Despite the successes she had with her own design agency, she left the graphic arts profession in 2017 and started working full time as a painter. Currently she lives and works in Doesburg.
Theme and style
Wencke approaches her paintings with an atmospheric sensibility that combines form, tone, line and colour. Her greatest source of inspiration is the human figure combined with nature. “I have always loved painting people, both in natural settings and in a more staged setting.” I see potential in everything and my emotional response leads me to the specific inspiration.”
Ever since she was born, she was taken into nature by her travel-loving parents. It is the long mountain hikes in the Alps and adventures in the forests of Brabant that are deeply rooted. “We could spend hours observing a landscape and philosophising about it. The freedom, the peace, the sensation of the elements.” She searches for that same peace, and natural beauty in her paintings. By using models in a natural setting, she tries to portray her experience and feeling in nature in a poetic way.
She draws inspiration from the people around her, of whom her daughter Siena occupies a special position and can be seen in many of her works. The impressions of her travels through Europe, Asia, the Middle East and America also regularly play a role in her work.
“Important elements for my paintings are technical skill, creative freedom and emotional truth. My goal is to create work in which all these elements come together harmoniously to move the viewer.”
Wencke usually uses a rather subdued colour palette supported by some chromatic accent colours to depict the tranquility but also the wonder in nature. She works in both small and large formats.
Awards and Honours
2024 Balloted for the 250 Masters of Realism
2024 Selected with self-portrait ‘Connected’ for the Miniartures exhibition at the WG gallery 2024
2022 Honorable Mention with ‘Na de regen‘ for the American BoldBrush Painting competition of May 2022
2021 Selected with ‘Little mom’ for the American BoldBrush Painting competition of January 2020 in the category FAV15% (juries best 15%)
2021 Winner TV program ‘Sterren op het doek’ (Stars on the canvas) with Hadewych Minis
2020 Selected with ‘In Rubens’s garden’ for the American BoldBrush Painting competition of January 2020 in the category FAV15% (juries best 15%)
2019 Selected with ‘Reading woman‘ for the ‘Lang Leve Rembrandt’ exhibition, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
Exhibitions
2024 Solo exposition ‘Spring in Autumn, WG Galerie, Dordrecht
2024 Group exposition ‘MiniARTures award 2024’, WG Galerie, Dordrecht
2024 Exposition ‘Human Nature’, Raadskelder, Doesburg
2023 Exhibition ‘De Fiets, de fiets en anders niets, Galerie Bonnard, Nuenen
2022 Exhibition ‘Van trotse pauwen en meesterlijk licht’ Museum De Casteelse Poort, Wageningen
2021 Exhibition ‘Souvernirs‘in Doesburg
2020 ‘Natural reflections‘, Council cellar Doesburg
2019 Open atelier ‘De Wildeman‘ in Doesburg
2019 ‘Long live Rembrandt‘ exhibition, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam
2019 ‘Painters Plaza‘ Stevenskerk in Nijmegen
2014 Permanent solo exhibition at Restaurant de Palatijn in Arnhem
2014 Exhibition Oud Burgeren Gasthuis in Nijmegen
2013 Exhibition headquarters Novicare in Best
2011 Solo exhibition at restaurant Miss Jazzlyn in Arnhem
Education and teachers
2020 1 day workshop Landscape painting Hans Versfelt
2018 5 days masterclass portrait painting Svetlana Tartakovska. Company in the field of art, the Netherlands
2016 5 days masterclass Portrait painting with Sam Drukker, Wackers Academy Amsterdam
2017 5 days workshop with Portrait and figure in landscape Jeremy Lipking (USA), Mheer, Netherlands
2015 3 days workshop fabricating traditional paints, Paint Mill De Kat, Zaandam
1997-2000 Design Academy Einhoven, the Netherlands
1993-1997 St. Lucas, Boxtel (3D, Graphic and Media design)
In addition to physical education, participation in online learning programs by international contemporary masters.
Press
De Gelderlander – interview ‘Winnaar Sterren op het doek‘ (26-04-2021)
De Gelderlander – interview ‘Sterren op het doek’ , TV-program Omroep Max (19-04-2021)
De Gelderlander – interview ‘Landschappen schilderen‘ (29-03-2020)
De Gelderlander – interview ‘Lang Leve Rembrandt‘ exposition, Rijksmuseum (01-07-2019)