February 20th, 2008 Oranjestad Kunsthuis Art Foundation is proud to represent the recent collection of Grace van Balkom-de Cuba. The collection will be on exhibition at the Mar Azul Gallery from Feb. 22 until March 5, 2008. The general public is invited for the official opening ceremony to be held on Friday February 22nd starting at 8:00 pm. The artist is currently at the gallery Mon-Fri. from 10:00am to 5:00 pm for personal tours or to work on her new art work.
Grace van Balkom-de Cuba, an Aruban born autodidact painter. She worked for twelve years as a vocational Spanish teacher before she discovered her passion for painting in 1971 after visiting an art exhibition from artist Pieter Vervoord. In 1976 she moved to Holland and has been living there ever since. She does spends 3 months a year on Aruba where she enjoys sketching and painting her “delightful island.” At her workshop in Holland you will always hear Caribbean music while she is painting her “old fashioned” Aruban houses, seasides and landscapes. Her first exhibition was organized by the Cas di Cultura Aruba in 1974, after that she had various exhibitions in Aruba and Holland. Some of her paintings are also part of the permanent collection of the Museum of New York University at the exhibition of primitive painters from the Caribbean.
Oranjestad Kunsthuis Art Foundation, with its new location at the Mar Azul Gallery (Marina Mall) also housing a generous work studio, is a non profit foundation currently working with more than 100 local and international artists, members, advisers and a global network contributing to the development and promotion of Aruba’s contemporary art movement. Its talented team, directed by founder and artist Gilbert Senchi under the expertise of Alice van Romondt (Prince Bernhard Funds & National Museum of History, Editorial Charuba) and Malayca Bufalini Rasmijn as PR representative, is dedicated to providing a comprehensive forum for contemporary art and support artists via a multi-faceted mission spanning the realms of gallery exhibitions, public programming, professional development and arts-in-education.
Located in the Marina Mall street level, in the area of Aruba’s sparkling night, luxury shopping district and the Oranjestad dazzling harbor port, the gallery affords a diverse array of professional and underserved artists the opportunity to produce and exhibit work in the heart of Aruba’s vibrant art district. The foundation’s operations and programs are made possible with the generous support of foundations, corporations, government agencies, individuals and the media in general. Entrance is free and appointments are recommended.
Surf at www.marazulgallery.com for information on art news and art events on the island.
T: 588-ARTE / Admin: 563-4574 / appointments T: 742-7482: gilbertsenchi@yahoo.com
