About
The line is the beginning of everything. Working with clay gives me the ability to capture movement and freeze it in time. Transforming subtle natural shapes into ceramic sculptures which are a sensual fusion of form, feeling and motion.
Growing up in The Netherlands with its straight lines, organized landscaping and equal lifestyle, moving to the island of Curaçao in 1995, was the best thing I ever did. I immediately fell in love with the Caribbean atmosphere. An atmosphere that became a major theme in my work.
Nature with its soft flowing lines is my greatest source of inspiration and Curaçao has been a generous provider.
The waves of the ocean, the gentle blowing of the Eastern trade winds through the trees and plants, the shapes of shells, the variety in flora and fauna, the laid back lifestyle of the people: It inspires me endlessly.
My objects in most cases retain their natural coloring or are covered with a thin layer of engobe or glaze, so that nothing will draw the attention away from the suppleness of form and line.
Marlies Schoenmakers
February 28, 1961, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Solo/duo exhibitions
| 2021 | Installation “Still life”, Het Curaçaosch Museum/Museo di Korsou (West Indië zaal) |
| 2016 | ‘Round Midnight’, Gallery Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao, together with Marcel van Duijneveldt (paintings) |
| 2015 | Xquisit Curaçao: exhibition of ceramic sculptures, together with Marie Lou Schoenmakers (paintings) |
| 2014 | Kunsthuis ‘Mooi voor thuis’, together with Marcel van Duijneveldt (paintings) and Nico Koster (photography), Amsterdam (NL) |
| 2012 | Terra’ MonArt Gallery, Renaissance Riffort, Curaçao, together with Mimi van Bindsbergen (paintings) |
| 2010 | ‘Sittin’ on the dock of the bay’, MonArt Gallery, Renaissance Riffort, Curaçao |
| 2008 | ‘Blue skies – Curved lines’, Gallery Pauw, Oisterwijk (NL), together with Marcel van Duijneveldt (paintings) |
| 2006 | ‘M-kwadraat’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao, together with Marcel van Duijneveldt (paintings) |
| 2002 | ‘Line and shape’, Carib Fine Art, Kurá Hulanda, Curaçao |
| 2000 | St. Elisabeth ZHS, Tilburg (NL) |
| 1999 | VPH De Hazelaar, Tilburg (NL) |
| 1998 | Akademia di Arte, Curaçao |
Group exhibitions
| 2024 | Open Atelier route Curaçao |
| 2023 | ‘Goodbye’, Gallery Alma Blou,Landhuis Habaai, Curaçao |
| 2023 | ‘Dynamics in ceramics’, Zanolino Gallery, Pietermaai, Curaçao |
| 2021 | Open Atelier route Curaçao |
| 2020 | ‘Unlocked’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Willemstad, Curaçao |
| 2020 | Opening exhibition Cathedral of Thorns, Curaçao |
| 2018 | Open Atelier Route Curaçao |
| 2018 | ArtX fundraising Lions Club Curaçao |
| 2018 | Sculpture garden Blue Bay Curaçao Golf and Beach Resort (permanent) |
| 2017 | ‘Isla den nos bida’, The Curaçao Museum, Mundo Nobo, Curaçao |
| 2016 | ‘Desaroya’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao, organised by Korpodeko |
| 2015 | ‘Imago Mundi’, Luciano Benetton’s global art project; Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, Italy |
| 2015 | Open Atelier Route Curaçao |
| 2014 | Elit-tile V, Trienal Internacional del tile ceramico, Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic Received the “Mencion Insular Region de Caribe” with my tile “Striptease” |
| 2014 | ‘MonArt goes nuts’, MonArt Gallery, Renaissance Riffort, Curaçao |
| 2013 | Benetton Project “Imago mundi”, Fondazione Benetton Studi Ricerche; Curaçao selection shown at Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao |
| 2013 | ‘Back to Nature’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Willemstad, Curaçao |
| 2012 | ‘A breast or two’. MonArt Gallery, Renaissance Riffort, Curaçao |
| 2012 | ‘Through the eyes of Egberdien’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Willemstad, Curaçao |
| 2011 | Gallery Alma Blou: opening exhibition Open Atelier Route, Willemstad, Curaçao |
| 2011 | ‘Maskara,’ Landhuis Bloemhof, Willemstad, Curaçao |
| 2010 | ‘Antepasado di Futuro’, Het Curaçaosch Museum, Otrobanda, Curaçao |
| 2010 | ‘Elit-tile IV,’ Trienal Internacional del tile ceramico, Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic |
| 2010 | Pennings Inside, Eindhoven (NL) |
| 2010 | Kunsthuis ‘Mooi voor Thuis’, Amsterdam (NL) |
| 2009 | ‘Dependensia’, Landhuis Kenepa, Curaçao (NA) |
| 2009 | ‘Baby bèbè’, Fundraising project Rotary Club Willemstad, MonArt Gallery, Renaissance Riffort, Curaçao |
| 2008 | ‘End of the year exhibition’, MonArt Gallery, Renaissance Riffort, Curaçao |
| 2008 | Beeldentuin Interart, Heeswijk Dinther (NL)2008 |
| 2007 | Kunstweek, Gallery Pauw, Oisterwijk (NL) |
| 2007 | ‘Let’s fight breastcancer’, fundraising on behave of the Prinses Wilhelminafonds, Gallery Alma Blou, Curaçao |
| 2007 | Summer exhibition Gallery Pauw, Oisterwijk (NL) |
| 2007 | ‘275 years Snoa’, Villa Maria, Curaçao |
| 2007 | ‘It’s all about women’, Gallery Alma Blou, Landhuis Habaai, Curaçao |
| 2007 | ‘Natura et Architectura’, kunstgroep Wassenaar, Galerie in de Molen, Wassenaar (NL) |
| 2006 | ‘Celebration’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao |
| 2006 | ‘Under construction’, MonArt Gallery, Renaissance RifFort, Curaçao |
| 2006 | ‘Arte bèbè’, Fundraising project Rotary Club Willemstad, MonArt Gallery, Renaissance Riffort, Curaçao |
| 2005 | ‘Lieve Koningin hierbij schenk ik U: Nos regalo real’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao |
| 2005 | ‘Huis van Oranje’, 25 jarig jubileum Koninging Beatrix, Carib fine Art, Kurá Hulanda, Curaçao |
| 2004 | Carib Fine Art – Kurá Hulanda, Curaçao |
| 2004 | ‘Inspiration’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao |
| 2004 | ‘Monumento habrí ‘, Villa Sixto, Curaçao |
| 2004 | ‘Kere den Arte’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao |
| 2004 | ‘De boog opnieuw gespannen’, Temporary Gallery Otrobanda Vieja, Riffort Village Curaçao |
| 2003 | ‘Laman 2003’, 50-jarig jubileum PBCF-NA, Riffort Village, Curaçao |
| 2003 | ‘Resusitá’, Riffort Village, Curaçao |
| 2003 | ‘Made in Curaçao’, Landhuis Bloemhof, Curaçao |
| 2002 | Art Festival Jan Kock, Curaçao |
| 2002 | ‘Pandora’s Box’, Gallery ’86, Curaçao |
| 2001 | ‘Mozaïek’, Gallery ’86, Curaçao |
| 2001 | ‘Pasa kontrami’, Gallery ’86 and Stroomzigt, Curaçao |
| 2001 | ‘I came by boat’ Curaçao |
| 2000 | Open Ateliers Reeshof, Tilburg (NL) |
Commissions
| 2022 | Art work 14 suites at the Renaissance Wind Creek Curaçao Resort |
| 2019 | ‘Hanging garden’, art work on ceiling (consisting of 500 hanging leaves) above check-in desks in the lobby of the Renaissance Wind Creek Curaçao Resort |
| 2019 | Art work for all 223 rooms at Renaissance Wind Creek Curaçao Resort |
| 2019 | Art work for entrance hall at Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort |
| 2015 | Madero Ocean club, Curaçao (wall sculpture) |
| 2013 | BPM Curaçao (bronze trofees) |
| 2010 | ORCO bank Bonaire |
| 2009 | HYATT Regency Hotel (now Sandals Royal), Curaçao |
Publications/Brochures
Elit-tile IV Trienal Internacional del tile ceramico 2014, Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
Received the “Mencion Insular Region de Caribe” for my tile ‘Striptease”
Participant in art project “Artist in the world” by Andre Smits.
Newspaper Amigoe (Ñapa), ‘Kunst met ballen”, Hans Vaders, 21.04.2012
Curacao Classics – visual arts 1900 – 2010, autors Jennifer Smit and Felix de Rooy, published by KIT Publishers Amsterdam (NL), 2012
Elit-tile IV Trienal Internacional del tile ceramico 2010, Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic
‘The Governors Mansion of the Netherlands Antilles: strolling along Antillean and Dutch works of art’, published by the Kabinet of the Governor of the Netherlands Antilles, 2008
Catalogue Interart 2008, Sculpture garden Interart, Heeswijk Dinther (NL)
‘Inspired by the Snoa’, MMVIII Mikvé Israel Emanuel Synagoge, 2008
Curaçao “Leve de kunst”, Kunstweek boek 2007/2008 (uitg. Stg. Kunstweek (NL))
‘Kere den Arte’, 2004, Landhuis Bloemhof. Porti Heru Publications, Curaçao
‘Laman 2003’, Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds NA en Aruba; Jennifer Smit (curator)
Curaçao Dutch Caribbean Art Diary 2002 – 2013
Works in collection
Central Bank, Curaçao – Central Bank, St. Maarten – Governors’ Mansion, Curaçao – NV Stadsherstel, Curaçao – ORCO bank, Curaçao – ORCO bank, Bonaire – Maduro & Curiel’s Bank nv, Curaçao – Van Lanschot Bankiers, Curaçao and several private collections.
Training
Free Academy ‘De groene Engel’, Oss (NL)
FAXX Platform for contemporary art, Tilburg (NL)
Akademia di Arte Kòrsou, Curaçao
Several workshops on relevant subjects