– About Marja –
Marja Tukker, born on the 15th of October 1949 in Haarlem, the Netherlands
A small introduction
Marja Tukker, born on the 15th of October 1949 in Haarlem, the Netherlands, comes from a family where music and creativity oftentimes played the lead violin. The musical part from mother’s side, the creative part from father’s side. Her own artistic passion she developed in the 70’s at the age of 21, when she encountered the art of weaving. Soon afterwards she begins teaching the art of weaving herself, and continues to do so for another 10 years. As such she became pleasantly constricted in a whirlwind of refined and tasteful works, oftentimes using as a base ingredient the raw rayon nets that the industry later chops in smaller pieces and reworks to pack consumer goods (e.g. oranges). A refreshing transformation of the craft that she was eager to convey to students of young and old. As she gave these lessons in a small workshop, with a view from the outside, more and more people began noticing and showing interest in her work.
In the year 1992 she and her husband move to Caribbean Curaçao. Around the year 2000, she comes across a spiritual young man who foretells her that they are about to massively rebuild and redecorate their home, and, at around the same time, will start an interest in the art of painting. True to life, after living more than a decade in their home, until then built as they bought it, her husband finally, with eagerness, decides it’s time to partially rebuild the house as is more becoming to their needs and insights. In the newly formed hallway, Marja notices an uneasy plainness about the doors, and decides to enhance their appearance with some creative painting. Thus her love for the art of painting began.
Marja receives a new inspiration out of everywork she creates
Caribbean Curaçao
In their newly formed home, she, for the first time after arriving on the island, starts her first atelier, and takes up the inspirational commission of creating Caribbean ‘Botero panels’, which are to decorate the walls of the plantation house Granbeeuw.
Around the year 2015 she starts her own workshop in the plantation house Granbeeuw.
Her passion for painting, and the never ending urge to try out new and different techniques, propels her towards an ever increasing repertoire of styles. Among these the art of Fresco painting (a mural done with watercolours on wet plaster), which she subsequently taught in 2011 for four years.
Through the years, Marja was inspired multiple times by several artists. Among the first who inspired her was painter Gustav Klimt. His works inspired her in the direction of ornamental decorative techniques and the implementation in her works of different kinds of materials.
Micheal Parkes and Salvador Dali
Afterwards, among others, also Michael Parkes and Salvador Dali figured as muses to whom she pays homage and incorporates reworked facets of their oeuvre into her own works.
In the Netherlands she became acquainted with artist Marcel Westerhof, who taught her to work with epoxy, and by taking lessons, she developed her own style also in this métier. Her urge to try new things has caused her to follow courses in several different art forms. Among these were lessons in painting taught by Boy Namias de Castro, lessons in drawing according to the Betty Edwards method, and in Italy, a master class in painting by Robert Webster.
Marja is always looking to discover new possibilities in her creative endeavours. Nowadays, she acknowledges that the luminance on Curacao, its intensity of light and color, is of great influence in her works, and as such it has become an explicit element she plays with constantly.
New possibillities
This website has been chronologically ordered into the nine phases that Marja in her oeuvre differentiates. Allow her to take you by the hand and present to you these creative phases which she has travelled through for the past decades with much pleasure.
Marja receives a new inspiration out of every work she creates, and has through the years worked through an impressive amount of techniques, while constantly recombining and perfecting them.
Currently she practises her art in her Curaçaoan atelier in Vista Montaña.
Marja published a colorful book
Marja is always looking to discover new possibilities in her creative endeavours. Nowadays, she acknowledges that the luminance on Curacao, its intensity of light and color, is of great influence in her works, and as such it has become an explicit element she plays with constantly.
This book has been chronologically ordered into the nine phases that Marja in her oeuvre differentiates. Allow her to take you by the hand and present to you these creative phases which she has travelled through for the past decades with much pleasure.
This edition has been especially created to honor her seventieth birthday.
Marja receives a new inspiration out of every work she creates, and has through the years worked through an impressive amount of techniques, while constantly recombining and perfecting them.
Currently she practises her art in her Curaçaoan atelier in Vista Montaña.
If you would like a edition of Marja's book, just send her a message here