Rieneke Leenders
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RIENEKE LEENDERS received her formal education in the Netherlands. A globetrotter at heart, she is fascinated by people and their cultures and often uses this subject matter in her work. Known for her watercolor portraits, she also uses acrylic and oil and varies her work by painting botanical close-ups. 

EXHIBITS AND AWARDS: 

February 2014
"Facets of Culture" Featured Artist at Hamilton Gallery, Baltimore,MD

January-February 2014
"Romance" Exhibition at Highlandtown Gallery, Baltimore, MD

July 2013
“Local Matters” Invitational Exhibition at d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA

August-September 2012              
“2012 Biennial” Juried Exhibition Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News, VA

March 2012        
“Artists Who Teach” Invitational Juried Show at Charles Taylor Art Center, Hampton, VA. Merit Award

February –March 2012                  
Invitational Exhibition at the Art Institute of Virginia Beach, VA

February – March 2012 
“The Child” TAA Juried Theme Exhibit at Courthouse Galleries, Portsmouth, VA 

January 27- April  2012 
TAA Juried Theme Show “The Child” in conjunction with  "Minds Wide Open"  
Virginia Celebrates Children and the Arts.  Courthouse Galleries, Portsmouth, VA. Best in Show 
Juror: Leisa Rundquist, PhD, Art History professor at University of North Carolina, Ashville, NC

December- February  2012 
"Hidden and Rare"  Invitational Exhibition at Linda Matney Gallery, Williamsburg, VA 

March- April  2011
"Spring Unfolding: Flora in 2 and 3 Dimensions" Solo Exhibition in conjunction with an orchid show at Arts Center @ 319, Smithfield, VA 

April- May  2010 
"Hyper Realism"  Invitational Exhibition at Mayer Fine Art Gallery, Norfolk, VA 

March- April  2010 
"Women of the World" as part of the statewide initiative "Minds Wide Open" at the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, Danville, VA 

January  2010 
"Too Terrific Two"  Invitational at One-Eleven Gallery, Norfolk, VA 

December 2009 
TAA Annual Juried Miniature Show  at One- Eleven gallery, Norfolk, VA 

November 2009 
"Small Works"  Invitational Show at Charles H. Taylor Arts Center Hampton, VA 

September October 2009 
Virginia Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition, Lorton Workhouse Art Center, Lorton, VA



August 2009
"Women of the World" Solo Exhibition at Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach Campus, Virginia Beach, VA

September, October 2008 
"Family of Man"  Invitational Show at Charles H. Taylor Arts Center in Hampton, VA 

May 2008 
"Women of the World" Solo Exhibition at Alleghany Highlands Arts and Crafts Center. Clifton Forge, VA 

March 2008 
"Women of the World" Solo Exhibition at Ballator Gallery, Hollins University, Roanoke, VA 

January 2008 
"Dare to Dream"  Juried Exhibition  at 111 Gallery, Norfolk, VA. Best in Show.  
Juror: Chris Tompkins, Art Professor at Norfolk State  University  and Old Dominion University 

August 2007 
Feature Artist, Suffolk Museum, Suffolk, VA 

March 2007 
"Women of the World"  Solo Exhibition at Mosely Gallery, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore
Princess Anne, MD 

October-December 2006
Suffolk Art League 2006 Juried Exhibition, Suffolk Museum, Suffolk, VA. Best in Show
Juror: Rebecca Humphrey, Professor Emeritus of James Madison University 

August 2006
“Hampton Bay Days” Juried Exhibition at Charles H. Taylor Center for the Arts, Hampton, VA.  Watercolor Award 

July – August 2005 
“The Many Faces of Rieneke Leenders” Solo Exhibition at the Suffolk Museum, Suffolk, VA 

May 2005
Virginia Watercolor Society Juried Show at McGuffy Arts Center, Charlottesville, VA 

May 2005 
“New Waves 2005” Juried Exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center, Virginia Beach, VA 
Honorable Mention.  Jurors: Grady Turner, art critic for publications like New York Times, Art News, Art in America, curator in New York City, and  Sarah Finlay, co-owner and director of  Fusebox Gallery in Washington, DC

April 2005
“Women of the World” Solo Exhibition at the World Bank, Washington, DC 

October-December 2004
Suffolk Art League 2004 Annual Juried Exhibition, Suffolk Museum, Suffolk.  Best in Show. 
Juror: Susan Fecho, professor and chair Visual Arts at Barton College, Wilson, NC 

September – October 2004
“Artists painting in Water Media” Invitational Exhibition at Hermitage Museum, Norfolk, VA 

June – August 2004
“Women of the World” Solo Exhibition at Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News, VA 

June 2004
“Korean & American Exchange Exhibition” at Daegu Culture & Arts Center, Daegu, South Korea 

April – May 2004
“Mid-Atlantic” Juried Exhibition at d’Art Center, Norfolk, VA.  Ed Carson Award

April – May 2004
“New Waves 2004” Juried Exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center, Virginia Beach, VA 

December – February 2004
“Cross Currents” Five artists’ take on cultural identities, Courthouse Galleries, Portsmouth, VA 

September-November 2003
Suffolk Art League 2003 Annual Juried Exhibition, Suffolk Museum, Suffolk, VA. Judy Oswald Award 

May 2003
CBW Spring Show at Cape Henri Collegiate, Virginia Beach, VA. Best in Show 

April 2003 
“New Waves 2003” Juried Exhibition at the Contemporary Arts Center, Virginia Beach, VA.   Best in Show

Juror: Annie Adjchavanich, Executive director Washington Project for the Arts, Corcoran 

January 2003      
TAA Annual Juried Miniature Exhibition at the Hermitage Museum in Norfolk, VA. Best in Show

November– January 2003
TAA Annual Juried Portfolio Exhibition at the Courthouse Galleries, Portsmouth, VA
Honorable Mention 

June - July 2002
“Side by Side” National Watercolor Society and Pennsylvania Watercolor Society Juried Members Exhibition

at the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art in Collegeville, PA 

June 2002
CBW Miniature Show at the Artists Gallery, Va. Beach, VA.  Best in Show 

May 2002
CBW Spring Show at Cape Henri Collegiate, Va. Beach, VA. Second Place 

May 2002
“2002 Florida Invitational” at Main Street Galleries in Perry, FL

April - May 2002
Virginia Watercolor Society 23rd Juried Exhibition at King William Regional Arts Center, Abingdon, VA 

April – May 2002
“New Waves 2002” Juried Art Show at the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, Virginia Beach, VA 

January 2002
“Glimpses of the Past” Solo Exhibition at the Commons Gallery of the Sacred Heart Church, Norfolk, VA 

November – December 2001 
TAA Annual Juried Portfolio Exhibition at the Courthouse Galleries, Portsmouth, VA.  Second Place 

September - October 2001 
“Indian Summer”  TAA Juried Exhibition at Taylor Center for the Arts, Hampton, VA.  
Honorable Mention 

June - August 2001
VWS 22nd Juried Exhibition at the Anderson Gallery, Richmond, VA. First Union Securities Award + People’s Choice Award

Juror: Catherine Chang Liu, artist, educator 

June 2001
CBW Spring Show at the Artist’s Gallery, Va. Beach, VA. Third Place 

May 2001
9th Annual International Miniature Art Show, at Seaside Gallery, Nags Head NC

April - May 2000
VWS 21st Juried Exhibition at Piedmont Arts Association, Martinsville, VA

March 2000
National Watercolor Society Members Juried Exhibition. Brand Library and Art Center, Glendale, CA

February 2000
“Grand Exhibition” International Juried Exhibition, Sheraton Suites, Cuyahoga Falls, OH. First Place

Juror: Michael Wolf, director of Wolf’s Fine Arts Auctioneers, Cleveland, OH 

January – February 2000
“Water Works” Exhibition with Susan Check at the Rawls Museum, Courtland, VA

November 1999
“The Best of Hampton Roads” Exhibit of area winners at Crestar Bank, Norfolk, VA

October 1999
“Water Works” Exhibition of watercolors with Susan Check at the Clarion Hotel, Norfolk, VA

September – October 1999 
Peninsula Fine ArtsCenter Juried Exhibition 1999, Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News, VA. Realist Painting Award

Juror: Kinshasa Holman Conwill, Director of the Studio Museum, Harlem NY 

May 1999
TAA Miniature Show Exchange , City Hall Gallery in Epe, the Netherlands 


CORPORATE COLLECTIONS: 
The World Bank Group, Washington, DC 
Dollar Tree Stores, Chesapeake, VA 
Obici Hospital, Suffolk, VA 
Hampton University, Hampton, VA 
Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach Campus, VA 

EDUCATION: 
1970 – 1971   Akademie voor Kunst en Industrie, Enschede, the Netherlands 
1971 – 1974   Vakschool Schoonhoven in Schoonhoven, the  Netherlands : Gold- and Silversmith 
1974 – 1975   Internship at Peter Kochuta Jewellers in Toronto, Canada 
1982 – 1983   Vrije Akademie in Venlo, Netherlands: Sculpture in Clay and Wood
1983 – 1985   Sculpture classes with Wim Rijvers in Kessel, Netherlands: Sculpture in clay and bronze
1986 – 2004  Watercolor workshops with Z. L. Feng, Doug Walton, Polly Hammett, Pat Dews, Alex Powers 


COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

2002- 2005           Member of the Board of Directors of d’Art Center in Norfolk, VA
2002- 2005           President of Tidewater Artists Association
2001- 2005           Resident artist at d’Art Center in Norfolk, VA
1998 -2000           Committee Chair Visual Arts for the Multicultural Alliance of Virginia
1997 -1998           President of the Virginia Watercolor Society
1997 -1998           Treasurer of the Multicultural Alliance of Virginia
1995 -1996           Vice President of the Virginia Beach Multicultural Arts Committee
1995 -1996           Secretary of the Virginia Beach Association for the Gifted and Talented
1995- 2002           Secretary of the Chesapeake Bay Watercolorists
1993 -1995           President of Nederlands Contact in Tidewater (Dutch Club)
1987 -1996           Volunteer in Education; program for the gifted, especially the Art Department at the Old Donation Center for the Gifted and Talented in                                         Virginia Beach, VA

TEACHING APPOINTMENTS: Over the last 15 years with: The Hermitage Museum Foundation, Norfolk, VA; Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Newport News, VA;  Charles H. Taylor Arts Center, Hampton, VA;  The Artists Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA. Continuous classes at Jerry’s Artarama and from home studio, both in Virginia Beach, VA.

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