EVA VAN RIJN (show complete resume)

EVA WAS BORN IN DEN HAGUE, HOLLAND IN 1936 AND EMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES WITH HER PARENTS DURING WW2. THE FAMILY SETTLED IN WOODSTOCK, NY. HERE THE VITALITY AND CREATIVITY OF A THRIVING ART COMMUNITY FORMED THE BASIS FOR HER ARTISTIC STYLE AND WORK ETHIC.

TAKING A YEAR OFF FROM COLLEGE SHE ATTENDED THE ACADEMIA DE BELLE ARTE IN FLORENCE, ITALY, WHERE HER MOTHER HAD BEEN A STUDENT BEFORE HER. SHE MARRIED PAINTER-SCULPTOR EDWARD CHAVEZ, A WELL KNOWN ABSTRACT ARTIST, AND CONTINUED TO LIVE IN WOODSTOCK, WHERE DAUGHTER MAIA (NOW ALSO AN ARTIST) WAS BORN.

THE FAMILY SPENT SUMMERS CAMPING IN A TENT TRAILER, EXPLORING THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. THIS IMMERSION IN WESTERN LANDSCAPE BECAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HER ARTWORK. OFTEN JOINED BY DAUGHTER MAIA, EVA CONTINUES THE CAMPING TRADITION, CREATING PLEIN-AIR PAINTINGS THAT BECOME THE BASIS FOR LARGER PAINTINGS IN THE STUDIO AT HOME.

IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS THE TWO HAVE COLLABORATED TO CREATE "RED CANYONS/BLUE SPACE" AN EXHIBITION OF PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS FEATURING WORK FROM THEIR COLLECTIVE ROAD TRIPS TO THE GRAND CANYON AND THE BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON. FIRST SHOWN IN WOODTOCK AND THEN BEACON NY, THIS ONGOING PROJECT WILL SEEK OTHER EXHIBITION SITES.

EVA CONTINUES TO LIVE IN WOODSTOCK, WHERE SHE IS A DIRECTOR OF THE WOODSTOCK SCHOOL OF ART. WITH HER PARTNER FISHERMAN RICHARD STRAIN SHE TRAVELS TO SOME OF THE WORLD'S LAST UNSPOILED PLACES WHERE PHOTOGRAPHY AND QUICK PLEIN AIR PAINTINGS PROVIDE THE SOURCES FOR LANDSCAPE AND WILDLIFE PAINTINGS DONE IN THE STUDIO.