Thea Tolsma


Born:

1956 Amsterdam NL

Training

  • 1977 - 1983 College of Art 'D'Witte Leli' Amsterdam Textile / Painting.Holland
  • 1983 - 1986 Academy Gerrit Rietveld Amsterdam Textile.Holland

Solo exhibitions :

  • 1997 - 'Nine Women' Gallery Lous Martin, Delft. Holland
  • 1999 - '10 Years Review' Gallery de Meerse, Hoofddorp Holland.
  • 2000 - Kunst Uitleen, Zwolle.Holland
  • 2003 - 'Figure of 8' Gallery LEGIOkunst, Tilburg.Holland
  • - 'Figure of 8' Gallery Eewal, Leeuwarden.Holland
  • - 'Show-Case' Ziekenhuis BovenIJ, Amsterdam.Holland
  • 2004 - 'Millstone-Collars NOW' Kunst Uitleen Zwolle.Holland

Group exhibitions :

  • 1996 - 'Brilliant and Well-set' Gemeente Museum The Hague, Holland.
  • 1996 - 'Chimeriques Polymeres' Musee d'Art Modern et Contemporain Nice, France.
  • 1998-1999 - 'A Matter of Materials' curated byCharon Kransen Touring the USA and Canada.
  • 1999 - 'Kunst RAI Amsterdam Gallery Eewal, Holland.
  • 1999 - 'A Material Approach' curated by Charon Kransen The Ohio Wesley and Fine Arts Department, USA.
  • 2000 -'The Anatomy of Love' Objects of DesireLouisville, curated by Charon Kransen, USA.
  • 2000-2001 -'On the Skin' Museum for Modern Art Arnhem, Holland.
  • 2000-2001 -'Wearable Sculpture' The Montreal Museum of Decorative Arts, Touring
  • the USA and Canada. Curated by Charon Kransen Arts USA
  • 2000-2001 -'Zierat' International Contemporary Invitional. South West School of Art
  • and Craft Touring the USA, Germany and Holland.
  • 2001 - 'SOFA New York, repr. by Charon Kransen Arts , USA.
  • - 'Going Dutch' Craft Council of Ireland Touring Ireland.
  • - 'SOFA' Chicago, repr. by Charon Kransen Arts USA.
  • 2002 - 'Jewellery Now' Textile Museum Tilburg, Holland.
  • - 'Art / House' Kunstpaviljoen curator Kate Hume Niuew Roden, Holland.
  • - 'Tour d'Atelier' Gallery Cebra Dusseldorf, Germany
  • SOFA New York , repr. by Charon Kransen Arts USA
  • SOFA Chicago. Repr. by Charon Kransen Arts USA
  • 2003 - 'Show-Case' RAM Gallery Rotterdam, Holland.
  • SOFA New York , repr. by Charon Kransen Arts USA
  • SOFA Chicago. Repr. by Charon Kransen Arts USA
  • - 'The Big Lace Show' Fries Museum Leeuwarden, Amsterdam.
  • - 'At Beauty's Edge' Patina Gallery Santa Fe.curator Charon Kransen, USA.
  • - 'International Art+Design Fair NY repr. by Charon Kransen Arts USA.
  • - Int. Jewelry. Gallery Materia Scottsdale, curated by Charon Kransen Arts USA
  • 2004 - 'Kunst RAI Amsterdam' Gallery Eewal Leeuwarden, Holland.
  • - PalmBeachContemporary repr. by' Charon Kransen Arts West Palm Beach, USA.
  • - 'Bijoux en Caoutchouc' Institut Néerlandais curator Julliette Verhofstad Parijs, France.
  • - 'La Collection de Bijoux' Musée des Arts Décoratifs Parijs, France.

Award :

  • 1994 - Incentive Award Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, Holland

Collections :

  • 1991 - The Cleveland Contemporary Jewellery Collection Middelsbrough, England.
  • 1992 -'95 -'96 - Gemeente Museum den Haag, Holland.
  • 1992 -'94 -'97 - Nederlands Textiel Museum Tilburg,Holland.
  • 1997 -2000 -'04 - Museum voor Moderne Kunst Arnhem, Holland.
  • 1998 - Musée des Arts Décoratifs du Montreal, Canada.
  • 2003 - Museum 'het Kruithuis' den Bosch, Holland.
  • 2004 - Musée des Arts Décoratifs à Paris, France.

Publications :

  • 1992 -'colliers of innertubes' de Volkskrant Andrea Hollebeek.
  • 1992 -'Innertubes as rubber colliers' het Parool Liesbeth den Beste.
  • 1992 - 'Designes in Lace' Information leaflet Gemeente Museum den Haag Ietse Mey.
  • 1993 -'Signes and Chains' Catalogue Threes Moolhuysen.
  • 2000 - 'Wearable Sculpture' Information leaflet Museum of Decorative Arts Monreal.
  • 2000 - 'Zierat' Catalogue of the Exhibition in the USA, Germany and Holland.
  • 2001 - 'On the Skin' Jewellery of the Collection ef the Museum of Modern Art Arnhem,
  • Hadewiych Martens, Holland.
  • 2001 - 'Best Dressed List' Harpers Bazaar only a foto by Patrick Demarchelier, USA.
  • 2002 - 'Non Precious' Book by Threes Moolhuysen-Coenders, tekst a.o. Paul Derrez,
  • Holland.
  • 2004 - 'Innertires as Colliers' H.P.de Tijd Evelien Stoel, Holland.
  • 2004 - 'Dutch Jewellery in the 20e century' Book by Marjan Unger, Holland.

Artist Statement :

The main base material in my work is a rubber inner tube. Over the past couple of years I have developed a certain craftmanship and know exactly what tipe of rubber lends itself well to cutting and which will retain its shape. I draw patterns on a inflated inner tube and cut away the areas between the lines to produce intricate filigree-style pieces. The colour of the rubber on the inside may differ from that of the outside, which creates beautiful effects.