Monumental has been a key word in the design of Mieke Blits from the start, in both her geometric and organic objects. She approaches ceramics as a free designer and uses different ceramic techniques to create monumental and clear shapes. Mieke cast a lot especially in her early days and experimented to find her own design. At the moment she mainly makes hand shapes.
The making process, squeezing, pushing and shaping the clay gives her the most satisfaction and she likes to take on the challenge of giving chance a chance. She tries to merge technique, design and color into a simple, powerful, streamlined and personal design.
Mieke Blits graduated from the Ceramics Department of the Gerrit Rietveld Academy, where she started The Steengoed Collective with five other ceramists, ‘steengoed’ being a Dutch homophone meaning both ‘stoneware’ and ‘very good’. The collective was both a success and inspiration, collectively and individually, as ideas were stimulated, equipment and environment shared, and many expositions held. Blits worked for the Steengoed Collective from 1971 until 1984, a period in which she also studied at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1978.
In 1974, Mieke Blits was awarded a one year scholarship at the Ceramic Workcenter in Heusden, the Netherlands (now the EKWC, Den Bosch, the Netherlands). This award allowed her to work independently on her development as a ceramic artist. Additionally, in 1981, Blits was granted a travel bursary from the Dutch government to study Japanese ceramics. This greatly expanded her artistic and cultural horizons, which Blits continues to pursue today in her love of world travel and continuous search for artistic inspiration
Mieke Blits is also an arts educator. As a dedicated artist and teacher, she enjoyed the experience of both sharing and gaining information in the classroom, while also having the time to work independently in her own studio. Blits continues to work and create in a studio she acquired in 1984, located on Tasmanstraat 15 — a large, beautiful, old school building and historic monument, close to where she lives and finds creative stimuli today.
Currently, Mieke Blits works in small series, mostly hand formed objects and one of a kind. Her forms are powerful and simple. She likes to play with shapes and techniques until she finds the right balance. This gives her work a certain tension and dynamic. Furthermore, color and color combinations are very important in her work to accentuate the unassuming shapes she creates. She is a specialist in the architectural design of vases, which stems from her desire to create functional art. This became the Blits trademark!
Mieke Blits (Amsterdam 1949) graduated in 1971 from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam
She has been working as a ceramist for 50 years and her work is characterized by an architectural and monumental appearance, in both geometric and organic forms.
She approaches ceramics as a free designer and uses ceramic techniques to create clear objects with a streamlined simple shape and a functional function. Instead of the many molds she used to produce, in recent years it has almost exclusively been hand-moulded, because the interaction with the clay is essential for her. Experimenting with clay, looking for her own design is her passion.
From 1972 to 2013 she was involved in art education, at Academies, High Schools, Secondary Schools and projects. A part-time job gave her the freedom to work independently.
Mieke works in small series, based on a theme, which she elaborates as much as possible. During that process, the forms become freer, more personal and larger.
Education:
1967 to 1971 – Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam (Ceramic design)
Scholarships:
1996 – Werkbeurs Fonds voor de Kunst
1981 – Travel grant for a study trip to Japan
1974 – Stipend for 1 year Keramisch Werkcentrum Heusden
Work owned by:
Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
Groninger Museum
Princessehof Leeuwarden
Centraal Museum Utrecht
Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
Design Museum Ghent
Design Museum Den Bosch
Province of Utrecht
Province of South Holland
Municipality of Amsterdam
National Collection
Assignments:
1986 to 2017 – Design and implementation of the Cinekid Awards
2005 – Business gift for Westerpark district council, Amsterdam
1997 – Design Ava Keramiek Award
1987 – War Memorial Transvaalbuurt Amsterdam
Teaching positions:
1993 to 2013 – Da Vinci College, Purmerend (teacher Crafts / Ceramics / CKV)
1994 to 1995 – Individual Secondary Art Education, Amsterdam (teacher Visual Expression / Ceramics)
1989 to 1990 – Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (teacher Visual education )
1982 to 1990 – Amsterdam University of the Arts (teacher Ceramics)
1972 to 1976 – Academy for Visual Arts, Amersfoort (teacher Ceramics)
Practice:
1984 to present – Own studio (Tasmanstraat 15, Amsterdam)
1987 to 1990 – Co-founder of and worked at Kunst in Kleine Serie (Blits & Co, Rozengracht 65, Amsterdam) 1971
to 1984 – Co-founder of and works at Stichting Steengoed (Singel 386, Amsterdam)
Publications:
Edition Design Museum, Den Bosch
Benno Premsela – Frederic Baas 2018
Catalog clay exhibition Haags Gemeentemuseum, 8 November 2014 to 12 April 2015
For example / Elle Wonen / Het Parool
Contemporary ceramics in the Netherlands – Piet Augustijn 2008
Catalog Ava Keramiek Award 1997 Catalog
Government Purchases
Catalog Amsterdam Buys Art
From clay to ceramics – Marieke Koudstaal
Ceramics at the Stedelijk – Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
The New Ceramics – Peter Dormen, 1986
Dutch ceramics 1975 – 1985 – Mieke Spruit-Ledenboer
Exhibitions (selection) :
Ad Gallery, Antwerp 2018 / 2019
Art Amsterdam 2017
Gemeentemuseum Den Haag 2015
Hoofdzaak Gallery, Amsterdam 2016
Exhibition Collection Achterberg, Makkum 2010
Masterful Design and Craft, Eindhoven 2009
Ad Gallery, Antwerp 2009
Gorcums Museum, Gorinchem 2008
Hans Appenzeller Gallery , Amsterdam 2007
Dutch Design Center, Utrecht 2007
Galerie Car la Koch, Amsterdam 1996/ 2005/ 2006 Galerie
De Muzeval, Emmen 1998
Exhibition In Contex, Groninger Museum 1997
With VES Free Designers, Amsterdam 1997
Showcases ABN-AMRO Bank Vijzelstraat, Amsterdam 1996
Art Amsterdam 1995
Gallery Serious Affairs, Amsterdam 1995
Museum Municipality of Weert 1994
Museum Tiendschuur, Tegelen 1994
Art fair RAI, Amsterdam 1993
Galerie Image Right, Amsterdam 1992 Galerie
M, Kassel 1989
Art trajectory I, II & III, Amsterdam 1988/’91
Galerie Heine HOUSE, 1988 Detail /1997 Elleboogkerk, Amersfoort 1985 Slot Zeist, 1984 Museum Aemstelle, Amstelveen 1982
Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden 1980/1997 Museum Fodor , Amsterdam Elsevier, Amsterdam 1977 GSA Hilversum 1977 Gallery Kapberg, Egmond a/D/Hoef, 1977
Singer Museum, Laren 1976
Museum Flehite, Amersfoort / Galerie Bouma, Amsterdam 1975
Galerie Cosa, Delft 1975
SBK Amsterdam 1974 / 1983 / 1990 / 1992
Galerie De Ark, Boxtel 1974
Singer Museum, Laren 1974
Van Hulsen Gallery, Leeuwarden 1973
Facet Gallery, Amsterdam 1972
Kapelhuis Gallery, Am ersfoort 1971 / ’76 / ’78 / ’85 / ’89
C.V. MIEKE BLITS
AMSTERDAM 1949
ATELIER :
TASMANSTRAAT 15
1013 PW AMSTERDAM
OPLEIDING :
1967 T/M 1971 – GERRIT RIETVELD AKADEMIE TE AMSTERDAM
EINDEXAMEN KERAMISCHE VORMGEVING
1978 – SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE – USA
BEURSEN :
1974 – STIPENDIUM VOOR 1 JAAR KERAMISCH WERKCENTRUM HEUSDEN
1981 – REISBEURS VOOR STUDIEREIS JAPAN
1996 – WERKBEURS- FONDS VOOR DE KUNST
WERK O.A. IN BEZIT VAN :
STEDELIJK MUSEUM AMSTERDAM
GRONINGER MUSEUM
PRINCESSENHOF LEEUWARDEN
CENTRAAL MUSEUM UTRECHT
STEDELIJK MUSEUM SCHIEDAM
PROVINCIE UTRECHT
PROVINCIE ZUID-HOLLAND
RIJKS COLLECTIE
GEMEENTE AMSTERDAM
DESIGN MUSEUM GENT
DESIGN MUSEUM DEN BOSCH
OPDRACHTEN :
1987 – OORLOGSHERDENKINGSMONUMENT- TRANSVAALBUURT AMSTERDAM
1997 – ONTWERP AVA KERAMIEK AWARD
2005 – RELATIEGESCHENK VOOR DEELRAAD WESTERPARK AMSTERDAM
1986 TOT 2017 – ONTWERP EN UITVOERING CINE KID PRIJZEN
DOCENTSCHAPPEN :
1972 T/M 1976 – AKADEMIE VOOR BEELDENDE VORMING AMERSFOORT
DOCENT KERAMIEK
1982 T/M 1990 – HOGESCHOOL VOOR DE KUNSTEN AMSTERDAM
DOCENT KERAMIEK
1989 T/M 1990 – HOGESCHOOL AMSTERDAM
DOCENT BEELDENDE VORMING
1994 T/M 1995 – INDIVIDUEEL VOORRTGEZET KUNSTZINNIG ONDERWIJS AMSTERDAM
DOCENT BEELDENDE EXPRESSIE / KERAMIEK
1993 T/M 2013 – DA VINCI COLLEGE PURMEREND
DOCENT HANDVAARDIGHEID / KERAMIEK / CKV
PRAKTIJK :
1971 T/M 1984 – MEDE OPRICHTSTER VAN EN WERKZAAM BIJ
STICHTING “STEENGOED” AMSTERDAM
(SINGEL 386)
1987 T/M 1990 – MEDE OPRICHTSTER VAN EN WERKZAAM BIJ
“KUNST IN KLEINE SERIE” AMSTERDAM
(BLITS & CO ROZENGRACHT 65)
1984 – HEDEN – EIGEN ATELIER TASMANSTRAAT 15 AMSTERDAM
PUBLICATIES O.A. :
NEDERLANDSE KERAMIEK 1975 – 1985 – MIEKE SPRUIT-LEDENBOER
THE NEW CERAMICS – PETER DORMEN 1986
CERAMICS IN HET STEDELIJK – STEDELIJK MUSEUM AMSTERDAM
VAN KLEI TOT KERAMIEK – MARIEKE KOUDSTAAL
CATALOGUS AMSTERDAM KOOPT KUNST
CATALOGUS RIJKSAANKOPEN
CATALOGUS AVA KERAMIEK AWARD ‘97
HEDENDAAGSE KERAMIEK IN NEDERLAND – PIET AUGUSTIJN 2008
BIJVOORBEELD / ELLE WONEN / HET PAROOL
CATALOGUS KLEI- TENTOONSTELLING HAAGS GEMEENTE MUSEUM
08-NOV-2014 T/M 12-APR-2015
BENNO PREMSELA – FREDERIC BAAS 2018
UITGAVE DESIGN MUSEUM DEN BOSCH
EXPOSITIES O.A. :
GALERIE KAPELHUIS AMERSFOORT 1971 / ’76 / ’78 / ’85 / ’89.
GALERIE FACET AMSTERDAM 1972 / GALERIE VAN HULSEN LEEUWARDEN 1973 / SINGER MUSEUM LAREN 1974 / GALERIE DE ARK BOXTEL 1974 / S.B.K. AMSTERDAM 1974 / 1983 / 1990 / 1992. / GALERIE COSA DELFT 1975 / MUSEUM FLEHITE AMERSFOORT / GALERIE BOUMA AMSTERDAM 1975 / SINGER MUSEUM LAREN 1976 / GALERIE KAPBERG EGMOND A/D HOEF 1977 / G.S.A. HILVERSUM 1977 / ELSEVIER AMSTERDAM 1977 / MUSEUM FODOR AMSTERDAM 1978 / MUSEUM PRINCESSENHOF LEEUWARDEN 1980/1984/1997 / MUSEUM AEMSTELLE AMSTELVEEN 1982 / SLOT ZEIST 1984 / ELLEBOOGKERK AMERSFOORT 1985 / GALERIE EEWAL LEEUWARDEN 1987/1997 / GALERIE DETAIL GRONINGEN 1986 / GALERIE BLITS&CO AMSTERDAM 1987-1989 / GALERIE HEINE HAUSE HAMBURG 1988 / KUNTTRAJECT I, II & III AMSTERDAM 1988/’90/’91 / GALERIE M KASSEL 1989 / GALERIE BEELDRECHT AMSTERDAM 1992 / KUNSTBEURS RAI AMSTERDAM 1993 /
MUSEUM TIENDSCHUUR TEGELEN 1994 / MUSEUM GEMEENTE WEERT 1994 / GALERIE SERIEUZE ZAKEN AMSTERDAM 1995 / ART AMSTERDAM 1995 / VITRINES A.B.N.AMRO VIJZELSTRAAT AMSTERDAM 1996 / MET V.E.S. VRIJE VORMGEVERS AMSTERDAM 1997 / EXPOSITIE IN CONTEX GRONINGER MUSEUM 1997 / GALERIE DE MUZEVAL EMMEN 1998
GALERIE CARLA KOCH AMSTERDAM 1996/ 2005/ 2006 / DUTCH DESIGN CENTER UTRECHT 2007 / GALERIE HANS APPENSELLER AMSTERDAM 2007 / GORCUMS MUSEUM GORICHEM 2008 / AD GALLERY ANTWERPEN 2009 / MEESTERLIJK DESIGN EN AMBACHT EINDHOVEN 2009 / TENTOONSTELLING COLLECTIE ACHTERBERG MAKKUM 2010 / GALERIE HOOFFZAAK AMSTERDAM 2016 / GEMEENTEMUSEUM DEN HAAG 2015 / ART AMSTERDAM 2017 / AD GALLERY ANTWERPEN 2018 / 2019