Renze Koenes (1963, Castricum, Netherlands) graduated in illustration at the Academy of Fine Arts 'Constantijn Huygens' in Kampen. He has since been an active artist, dividing his time between drawing and painting, making murals, and printmaking, and teaching at the Jan des Bouvrie Design Academy in Deventer.

Koenes’ passion goes out to representing everyday scenes and objects in gouache and oils in which he sacrifices spatial illusion and texture in order to evoke what may be called vivid patterns of flat shapes and stark contrasts. This results in stylized, often colourful images that retain the intimacy of the artist’s everyday surroundings.

Koenes is also an experienced silkscreen printer. In his prints he remains true to his thematic and stylized approach, presenting the viewer with bold, yet intimate, glimpses into his life.

text by Robin d'Arcy Shillcock