I look at things with the eyes of a jewellerymaker, into detail. I would like the viewer to see through my eyes. In “Weavings” I interpretated the traditional costumes and jewellery of Zeeland, a region in the south of the Netherlands where I grew up. I changed recognizable forms into more abstract forms. As it were zoomed in, extremely magnified. “Weavings” is about more than the materials I use and the way these materials are used. It is also about a train of thoughts, interlacing subjects. About where I come from, where I grew up. About engagements, family and history. About how I read and experience things. How I see them and would like to see them.

Zuiderzeewerken / Zuiderzee works
These pieces were inspired by the men and women of the Zuiderzee. The pieces refer to the demise of the traditional fishing industry and traditional crafts. The flowers of "Spakenburg" are inspired by the traditional costume of this fishermen's village. Some women (around 325 of them) still wear the tipical chintz "kraplap" or shoulder covering. The costumes worn in other parts of the Netherlands often comprise striking regional jewellery, but in Spakenburg the "kraplap"is practically the only showy item. As a jewelley-maker, I found that a striking and inspiring fact.

Willemijn de Greef, 1973, Boxtel, The Netherlands

Education:
2003-2006 Gerrit Rietveld Academie, jewellery dept.
1992-1996 Vakschool Schoonhoven (technical school)

Public collections: 
2009 Zuiderzeewerken, halssieraad Touw gedraaid, CODA apeldoorn (NL)
2006 Weefsels, halssieraad rood, Textiel museum Tilburg (NL) 

Exhibitions: 
2009 Ringvormen, Transfo Zwevegem (BE) | Solo, Galerie Marzee (NL) | Zuiderzeemuseum, Enkhuizen (NL) | “Gejaagd door de Wind” | Traveling exhibition , Het Wilde Oog (NL)
2008 Gorcums museum, In of uit de Mode (NL) | Museum voor moderne kunst Arnhem, (NL) | onvervangbaar sieraden en herinnering
2007 Galerie Marzee, Ravary(NL) | Museum CODA, Apeldoorn (NL) | Object, Rotterdam (NL)
2006 Sieraad, RAI, Amsterdam (NL) | Midora, Leipzig, Germany | International endexam exhibition, Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen (NL) | Gerrit Rietveld endexam exhibition, Amsterdam (NL)
2005 Beurs van Berlage, Rietveld naar de Beurs,Amsterdam (NL)
2002 Botanical Gardens, University, Utrecht (NL)
2001-2003 Kunstuitleen Transarte, Utrecht (NL)
2000 Kunstliefde, Utrecht, Glamour (NL)

Competitions:
2006 New Traditonal Jewellery (NL)

Masterclasses:
2007 Ravary, België
2006 EKWC, Burned Jewellery, Otto Künzli
2001 La Corte, Italië, A life in a day of... ,Otto Künzli 

Co-operation projects:
2009 Heldenlinten, met Anke van den Borne, Fuse Projects
2006-2008 Spakenburger vrouwen & “Het wilde oog”
2005 “Geel metalliek” competition Stedelijk Museum together with Gwenneth Boelens

Workexperience:
2000 - present Teaching / organisor workshops Atelier en Route (FR) www.willemijndegreef.nl
2000 - present Organising Workshops www.workshopedelsmeden.nl
1999 - present Teaching jewellery courses
1999-2007 Teaching , Transarte, Utrecht (NL)
1995-1996 Galerie Marzee Nijmegen 

2009 Museumtijdschrift | Volkskrant
2007 Weven
2006 Textiel Plus

Galerie Marzee
Lage Markt 3 (Waalkade 4)
6511 VK Nijmegen
The Netherlands 

Galerie Caroline van Hoek
Rue van Eyck 57
1050 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: 0032 264445111

Charon Kransen Arts
817 West End Avenue, Apt. 11c
New York, NY 10025
Tel: 212 627 5073