Ria Demarteau

Ria Demarteau - “I like to go with my own flow“

While organising the challenge „How Amazing! Textile Experiments“, the entries entered by Ria Demarteau from The Netherlands attracted my attention notably. We kept in touch via e-mails and I got to know her and her art work better over the months. I asked Ria for an interview and some pictures of her work – I can say, you will be fascinated! Here you are!

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Ria lives in Amstelveen (close to Amsterdam) in The Netherlands with her husband and is in her fifties. She loves textiles, paper and paint. In her work she uses combinations of these materials frequently and is very fond of experimenting. Sometimes she works with an inspiration, but her use of material can also be her starting point. Her work is characterised by rhythm, lines and an extraordinary use of colour. It is not surprising that textiles and paint play such a large role in her life. One of her artistic roots is her mother’s grandfather who had a tailoring-shop with 30 employees in the most famous street of Amsterdam, called P.C.Hooftstraat. He was also a painter and a collector and Ria feels a great connection with him. For years Ria has gathered information. She attended workshops, courses and master classes in order to make the source of her inspiration as large as possible. Ria shows her work widely and participates in international exhibitions.

G.H.: You are not only a quilter but much more. Can you give me some remarks about your background / development?

R.D.: I was a quilter before I was ever hearing about patchwork.

With our expensive twins, I had to be creative with all kinds of things.

When I saw patchwork the first time, I was interested, but not over the top, because I was too busy with working being a teacher (and the twins). I didn’t want to do all those time consuming things; so I only wanted to make one quilt: A Christmas trees wall hanging.

And than it caught me and I started to investigate all the possibilities, but after a while I liked to look further and that was the moment for the contemporary works.

GH.: Your CV shows a wide range of different fields of art. Are you a professional textile artist today?

R.D.: Yes, I am a textile or fiber artist with lot of special legs.

G.H.: Which materials to work with do you prefer?

R.D.: I like all kind of fibers and I like to work with f.i. disposable material like teabags (with used tea still in it), coffee pads, nespresso cups and old DVDs. I love fabric, especially silk, paper and paint, f.i screenprinting. The colours, the possibilities and the things that happen accidentally and spontaneously can make me thrilled.

G.H.: Which techniques do you use, prefer or combine? Do you develop own techniques?

R.D.: I’m always looking for all kind of possibilities and I like to mix them. By experimenting I discover new things or techniques. It takes a lot of time to develop. But experimental is the best part I like to do. The last thing I developed is: transferring CDs on fabric, a technique I used in my work "Music Snatches" (with which I participate in "Textile News"

3rd Small Format Challenge)

G.H.: Do you focus on a special technique?

R.D.: No, I don’t because I like to use the technique that fits in at that moment or at the theme.

G.H.: Where do you find inspiration? Do you keep a sketch-book?

R.D.: Sometimes my inspiration comes from my own experience, like loosing lots of kilos and that theme I translated into a work with 12 underpants “From Heavy Till Half Featherweight”.

Yes, I keep sketchbooks, several, like big-ones and the small examples, which can easily be taken in my pocket. I’m always taking photographs of almost everything and with the scissors in my hand I read papers and magazines -smile-.

G.H.: Do you prepare a work by means of one, two, three concepts? Do you exploit a design?

R.D.: I like to have a whole day for dying fabric or stamping or batik or … everything that touches me at the moment.

Exploiting a design sometimes happens, f.i. the theme “Hands” is repeating itself. And I used the same hands f.i. in the book “Let’s Meet”.

G.H.: Do you have an own studio where you can work?

R.D.: Yes. I’m living in a 5-rooms-apartment. My studio is the “garden-room” with view over our garden. The other 4 rooms are on the first floor, where the smallest room is used for my paint-work.

G.H.: Are you member of (an) artistic group(s)?

R.D.: At the moment I’m a member of two groups.

One group is “Textieleren”, a group of 10 textile artists, all different affections; that’s very inspirational.

Every year we choose a topic: Last year: “Hands” and this year: “Trails” and next year it’ll be “Miniature”. All free interpretations.

The other group was united after “Quilten Special” training, called QS2, also 10 persons.

G.H.: How many art works do you produce per month / year approximately?

R.D.: That’s not an easy-one. Do you really want me to count? There are weeks of making anything at all, only experimental weeks and of course times of making, working, etc.

G.H: What about exhibitions?

R.D.: In January 2009 I joined an exhibition of the handkerchief-challenge in Delft. In the Hilton Airport Hotel, Schiphol: “Manual” for “Let’s Meet”. Two Artbooks in Belgrade. In September 2009, there will be an exhibition of Art-Quilts in Alkmaar, in February 2010 in the Millmuseum in Koog aan de Zaan (near Zaandam) and during The Textile Festival in The Dutch National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden.

My textile neck jewelry is in the collection of the Art-Centre Amstelveen, http://www.sbkamstelveen.nl/ka_nl_v_demarteau.html

G.H.: Do you participate in challenges?

R.D.: In 2007 I won the second price with my tea-bonnet and they took a professional picture of my “Scrapfieldbloom” for making postcards. This year (2008) I won the third price with “Keigoed” (that means “as good as a rock”), see "Ring of Kerry". This year (2009) I won the second price in the handkerchief-challenge.

You, Gudrun, have been publicising my work in the magazine “verFilzt Und zugeNäht” (in 2008), I was selected with 2 books for Bookart 2008/2009 in Belgrade and I published an article about my mother in a special issue - jubilee edition - during this year 25^th anniversary of our Quiltersgilde (guild). The women of Lovelygroup in Dahka, Bangladesh, chose my design for making “Sari-shawls" . (fair-trade shops).

Last month there were two works selected by jury in the 3rd Small Format Challenge “Textile News”, organised by Gudrun Heinz.

G.H.: Do you have favourite artists, someone who you like best? What about the influence / inspiration on your own work?

R.D.: There’s not such one person, because I like so many artists with even so many kinds of arts, f.i. Hundertwasser, Picasso, Matisse, Niki de Saint Phalle, Paul Klee, Gaudi, Ilja Repin, Kandinsky, Mondriaan, Chagall, etc. etc. ...

There are so many artists, moments and things that touch me and everything will have its influence.

G.H.: Do you find time for other activities?

R.D.: I’m voluntary working in the museum of bags and purses, http://www.tassenmuseum.nl

It’s a very interesting museum: All the visitors are going back home with a smile on their faces, even the men.

Once a week I look after my neighbour-girl, she’s 5 years old now and every monday I pick her up from school till her mother is back home.

And I’m teaching creative lessons.

Dear Ria, I would like to thank you so much for this interview. You had the patience of a saint. It was really a great pleasure for me with you. Many thanks.

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More about Ria you will find on her website: www.riademarteau.nl

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