Monique Jansen photography

I have been painting all my life. In art school photography entered my life and I bought my first of many cameras. Whether in painting or photography, abstraction is at the basis of all my work.

Rain has been a huge theme for me for years now. I love exploring the mysterious world of shimmering reflective surfaces that appear during or after it has rained. Looking through a window during a rain shower shows the world without its sharp contours, shows colours that blend together instead of their sharp contrasts.​ 

I work in layers. I add, I take away, I add again. I may add again. Or take away.

I usually work on more than one painting at a time. There is always a layer that needs drying, a painting that needs some time or I might want to go back to a painting I thought was finished. I don’t stop until the painting expresses what I feel. Colours shift over time, they become darker, they become brighter. It’s an ongoing process- a process I love.

For the past two years I have been exploring Encaustic painting- painting with a mixture of beeswax and damar resin. This medium lends itself very well to abstraction. It is also a way for me to incorporate my photography. I love taking the Canadian landscape as the basis of photo-encaustic works.

Member of:
Federation of Canadian Artists (active status)
Encaustic Art Institute, USA
National Association of Artists (NABK), The Netherlands
Front of Bicycle Gallery in Basel, Switzerland

Exhibitions

  • Lake Country Art gallery, Lake Country BC, 18 March – 11 May
  • Performing Arts Centre (NOFCA, juried exhibition), Vernon BC, 18 March – 12 April
  • The Federation Gallery (FCA, juried exhibition), Vancouver, Canada, 28 Nov – 10 dec
  • Art Walk, Lake Country BC, Canada, 9&10 September, 10.00 – 5.00 
  • Kunstroute Paleiskwartier, Den Bosch, The Netherlands, 28 August 2022, 11.00 – 17.00
  • Open Atelierroute 2021, Den Bosch, 16 en 17 October, 11.00 – 17.30
  • NDSM Fuse Amsterdam, Expo 9, May 2021 – June 2021
  • Open Studios NDSM Treehouse Amsterdam, Friday 4 December 14.00 – 18.00
  • Open Ateliers Amsterdam- Noord, 14 – 15 November 2020 (postponed)
  • NDSM Fuse Amsterdam, Expo VIII, September – December 2020
  • Voltahalle Basel, Switzerland, 2018: group exhibition painting
  • Front of Bicycle Pop-up Gallery Basel, 2017: exhibition painting
  • Biennale Pratteln, Switzerland, 2017: Group exhibition of selected Basel artists
  • Basel Art Center Basel, 2016: group exhibition painting
  • Hauptort für Gestaltung Basel, 2015: Group exhibition
  • BIS Exhibition Room Bottmingen, Switzerland, 2015: solo exhibition painting
  • Kunstraum Art Mathieu, Olten, Switzerland 2015: solo exhibition Painting 
  • Ateliers Florenz, Basel, 2013: solo exhibition photography & painting: “Abstrakte Positionen”
  • Art Wall at Centrepoint Basel, 2012: solo exhibition
  • Le Triangle, Huningue, France, 2012: “Rencontre Photographique”
  • Alte Post Riehen, Switzerland, 2010: group exhibition photography “Emotions”

Education & work

Work experience (in the art world)

  • From February 2023, Vernon Community Art Centre: teacher oil painting
  • 2014 – 2019, BaselPaints: teacher drawing and painting
  • 2010 – 2015, BaselPhoto: teacher photography

Education

  • Fall 2020, Dutch Atelier of Realistic Art in Haarlem: Painting from the old masters
  • April 2018 & 19, Chelsea College of Arts London: Oil Painting courses
  • 2009 – 2012, Freie Kunsthochschule Freiburg (Germany): Fine arts – painting
  • 2008 – 2011, Zürcher Hochschule der Kunsten: Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Photography
  • 2006 – 2008, UCK- Utrecht Centre for Arts: Fine arts – painting, photography and sculpture
  • 2000 – 2002, Teacher qualification for vocational and adult education
  • 1991 – 1995, Utrecht University- MA English Language and Literature
  • 1989 – 1991, Art School, Tilburg, The Netherlands