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Wim de Vos was born in The Hague, The Netherlands in 1947. He migrated to Australia in 1959.

Wim’s study credits include diplomas in Commercial Illustration and in Fine Art at the Queensland College of Art with honours in Printmaking. He undertook postgraduate professional extension studies in 1981 to 1982 at the Jan van Eyck Academie, Maastricht, The Netherlands. 

Wim has exhibited regularly in Queensland, interstate and overseas since 1979. His artistic repertoire includes drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture, and Artist books. His work is held in public and private collections in Australia, USA, UK and the Netherlands. These include the James Hardie Collection of Rare and Artists’ Books at the State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, the Mitchell Library, Sydney and the Australian National Library in Canberra. He exhibits with Michel Sourgnes Fine Arts, Brisbane. Wim is currently teaching for the Brisbane Institute of Art and teaches for the Brisbane Institute of TAFE. He has toured for Flying Arts Inc and has taught for the Mc Gregor Schools. He also runs private classes in his studio in Brisbane.

Wim de Vos - Curriculum Vitae

•  Born:             The Hague Netherlands, 1947. Migrated to Australia, 1959.
•  Tertiary Ed.:  Central Technical College, Brisbane, Qld., Australia: 1963 – ’67.
•  Post Grad.:    Jan van Eyck Academie, Maastricht, Netherlands: 1981 – ’82.
•  Teaching:        Certificate IV Assessment and Workplace Training.

Teaching Experience

• 1984 – ’00    TAFE Qld.Teacher of Art, Drawing, Painting, Printmaking,
                    Design. Brisbane, Toowoomba

• 1985 –         Brisbane Institute of Art.Teacher of Printmaking, Painting,
                    Drawing, Design, Paper-making. Freelance Teaching, 
                    tutoring workshops and symposia interstate and locally including
                    the McGregor Summer and Winter Schools, Toowoomba.

• 1997 – ‘99     Flying Arts Inc.Teacher of Printmaking, Painting, Drawing

• 1988 –          Judged at numerous exhibitions locally and within Queensland (including the Warwick Art Prize 2001).

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

• 1984    Etchings, Lithographs, Drawings, Small Sculpture Michael Milburn
            Gallery, Brisbane, Australia.

• 1986    Paintings, Etchings, Sculpture. Michael Milburn Gallery, Brisbane,
            Australia.

• 1988    Prints, Paintings, Sculpture Darling Downs Institute of Advanced
            Education, Toowomba, Qld., Australia

• 1989    Book Installation State Library, Qld., Australia.

• 1994    "Marks / Remarks" Dalby Regional Art Gallery, Qld., Australia.

• 1995    "Mark / Remark" Michel Sourgnes Fine Arts, Brisbane, Australia

• 1996    Artists’ Books, James Hardy Room, State Library, Qld., Australia.

• 1997    "On Paper With Paper" Michel Sourgnes Fine Arts, Brisbane, Australia

• 1999    "Dusk to Dust" Michel Sourgnes Fine Arts, Brisbane, Australia

• 2000    "Macro / Micro" Spectrum Gallery, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia.

Reference in Art Publications

• Gerry O'Connor. Meeting of Creative Minds. Courier Mail, Dec 29 2000, p36f.
• Keith A Smith, Smiths Sewing Single Sheets, pp 19, 265, 268-269, 274-275
• Grishin, Sasha (Dr.). "Wim de Vos". Printmaking in the 1990s. Sydney: Craftsman House Publication, 1997.
• "Bundoona Workshop". (Article). Australian Artist Magazine. (February, 1996).
• Geissler, Marie. "Heaven by a String". (Article). Art Crafts Magazine 36. (1996).
• Shaw, Jeff. "Paper". (Article). Craft Link 9. (1995): Qld Museum.
• De Vos, W., ed. W. de Vos. (Limited Ed. Books). Maastricht, N.L.: Jan van Eyck Academie Graphic Workshop, 1982.
• Germaine, Max. ed. Artists and Galleries of Australia. Brisbane: Boolarong Press, 1984, 1990.
• Kropper, Jean G. Papermaking: From Recycling to Art. Sydney: Lotham Press, 1992.
• Wood, Lillian. Ed. Dictionary of Australian Printmakers. Print Council of Australia. Melbourne, Vic.: Aldine Press, 1982.

Representation in Collections

• Brisbane Boys College

• Mackay City Lib.

• James Hardy Collection of Fine Art and Rare Books (State Lib. Qld.)

• Towoomba Institute of TAFE Lib.

• Australian National Lib.

• Wesley College (U. of Sydney)

• State Lib. N.S.W.

• Downlands College Art Coll.

• Stanthorpe Regional Gallery

• U.S.Q.

• Murgon S.H.S.

• U. of Tennessee Lib. (Slide Coll.)

• Qld. College of Art Coll.

• Ferny Grove S.H.S.

• Freemantle Art Gallery

• Griffith Unifersity Coll.

• Jan van Eyck Academie Coll. (Maastricht, N.L.)

• private Collections in Australia, U.S.A., U.K. and the Netherlands

Extension of Visual Arts

Membership on Arts Organisations

• Community Arts (Toowoomba)
• Management Committee (B.I.A.).

• Artists’ Books Exhibition (1995)
• McGregor Artist in Residence Program
• McGregor Schools Exhibition.

Other Activities

• Coordinator/Writer ATSI Course (Toowoomba)

Special Projects

• 1998    Established the Studio West End with Adèle Outteridge – Workshops and art practice

• 1999    Queen Street Mall Project (Permanent Vitrines).  Invited to submit concept designs and maquettes.

• 2001    Artists in Residence Treetop Resort, Pt. Douglas, Qld. (Wim and Adèle)

• 2001    Exhibitions – Tasmania, Queensland.

Lost and  Found  -  Wim de Vos

My parents migrated to Australia from The Netherlands when I was eleven years old, an age when one has some memory of one’s culture. At eleven years old one is more concerned with adventure than with being confronted by another culture. As my new surroundings became more familiar I became more aware of differences. The family moved house four times over a period of six years. Each move was a positive step towards more permanent roots. I have moved house fifteen times to date!!

I went to Art School at sixteen, and at nineteen became involved in Rock’n’Roll, constantly moving. My base remained the family home, which my parents built in 1965. I was also in the advertising industry for a time but found music to be a force for expression more powerful, performing professionally for fourteen years. By then I was married with two young boys and worked in the family business, designing and manufacturing display goods.

The opportunity arose to return to the visual arts. There was a powerful need to express visually what had been experienced and felt musically. Many of the themes have remained as ‘sounds in visual form’ in two and three dimensions. I would say that I had not lost or found profoundly in my career so far, rather a growing and understanding culturally through the practice of two art forms. Until then I had had great difficulty expressing "my landscape". I had not yet found it.

During 1982 I returned to my country of birth. I immediately ‘connected’ with the landscape. Something lost? Something found? I travelled extensively during those eleven months, Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, constantly drawing and printmaking. Returning to Australia was somewhat traumatic, but necessary. I lost my landscape but was part of making a beautiful daughter. Comfort? Was I to confront the other culture again? Again it was significant to build on my experiences. Initially I reverted to images in sound, while slowly discovering the Australian landscape.

Travelling and teaching have contributed greatly to my understanding of this landscape. Since the 90’s I have found myself involved with the landscape realistically and abstractly in many media. More recent work includes large pastels and oil paintings. A sense of belonging and this landscape is significant.

I have found a spiritual and physical belonging, something I would not be able to express if I could not feel it. I still travel extensively creating images from the landscape. With each, something is found and lost. Always a part found then left behind.

Wim de Vos

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