Born in the Netherlands in 1956, New Zealand based artist Siene de Vries studied painting and sculpture at the Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten ‘Academie Minerva’, in Groningen from 1976 till 1981.
After leaving art school, Siene established a career in Holland as a painter of realist portraits, still life and landscapes, exhibiting in a number of solo and group shows in the Netherlands, as well as Germany and Switzerland. During this time he was also involved in teaching, both privately and at art institutions, and was instrumental in organizing several local arts festivals.

In 1988, Siene, along with his wife, printmaker Saskia van Voorn, and their two young sons, made the move to New Zealand where they settled on a small farm in Banks Peninsula’s beautiful Le Bons Bay. Siene and Saskia have lived and worked on this property for over twenty years, where their rural lifestyle and surrounding environment has become an important feature of both their practices. Recently, the pair have opened their studios to the public for a month long exhibition, held in January each year, which draws a local and international audience.

Siene’s work is largely figurative, although some abstract tendencies emerge from time to time. His practice continues to be characterised by an interest in the realist tradition, embracing subjects such as landscape, still life, portraiture and the nude. Siene paints mainly in oils using broad brush strokes, which are often augmented by finer, more detailed areas of work when necessary. His sculpture tends toward the gestural, where evidence of the modeling process remains in the cast bronze. Lately his bronze sculptures have dealt with themes relating to the human condition in a socio-political context.

Siene's work is held in public and private collections around the world, and he regularly exhibits in both New Zealand and the Netherlands.

    Selected  solo and group exhibitions;

2010     Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
2010     Portrait selected for New Zealand Portrait Gallery/Adam Portrait Award      
             Summer Exhibition Le Bons Bay Studio
2009     Sculpture on the Peninsula Teddington, New Zealand
             Summer exhibition Le Bons Bay Studio
2008     Summer exhibition Le Bons Bay Studio
             Two Rivers Gallery, Cheviot  New Zealand Group show
2007     “MIXM” oil paintings by Siene de Vries, Allegory Art Gallery Christchurch New Zealand
             “Sculpture on the Peninsula”  Loudon  Teddington, New Zealand
              Dobson Bashford Gallery, Christchurch, New Zealand group exhibition
              Museum Mohlman, Venhuizen The Netherlands Group exhibition
              Orion Gallery Akaroa, New Zealand Group Exhibition
2006     "Two man show"  Orion Gallery Akaroa, New Zealand
              Museum Mohlman, Venhuizen  The Netherlands Group Exhibition
              Orion Gallery, Akaroa  Group Exhibition
              Bronze bust of Nelson identity Eelco Boswijk installed at top of Trafalgar Street in Nelson New Zealand
2005     “Gates to the Garden “ new paintings by Siene de Vries
              Edmiston Duke Gallery,  Auckland 
              Sculpture in the Garden, Loudon Teddington, New Zealand
2004      Galerie Mebius,  Noordhorn The Netherlands, Groupshow
              Galeridelaar,  Bingelrade The Netherlands 
              "NZ Sculpture on Shore",  Auckland New Zealand
2003      “Recent Works”, New Paintings by Siene de Vries
              Dobson Bashford Gallery, Christchurch New Zealand
              Sculpture in the Garden, Loudon Teddington New Zealand
              Selwyn Gallery, Darfield New Zealand Two Man Show
2002    “The Unfashionable Goddess”, Paintings, drawings and bronzes by Siene de Vries, Allegory Art Gallery
             CoCA,  Christchurch New Zealand Group Exhibition
             Little River Gallery, Little River New Zealand Two Man Show

 

 2001    Pictura, Groningen the Netherlands Group Exhibition
             Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
1999     Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
             Dobson Bashford Gallery, Christchurch New Zealand Group Exhibition
1997    “Recent Works”, Dobson Bashford Gallery, Christchurch New Zealand Solo Show July                  
             Dobson Bashford Gallery, Christchurch Group Show  October
1995     Brink 7, Yde The  Netherlands
1992     Salamander Gallery, Christchurch New Zealand
             Ashburton Society of Arts, Tinwald Memorial Hal, Guest Exhibitor
1991     The Gallery Akaroa,  New Zealand
1990     Gemeentehuis Vries, The Netherlands  “Dichter und Bauer”
1989     CSA Gallery, Christchurch New Zealand
             Aigantighe Art Gallery, Timaru New Zealand
             Brink 7, Yde  The Netherlands
1988     The Gallery Akaroa, New Zealand
1987    ‘t Achterhoes, Roden The Netherlands
             Galerie “de Vis”, Harlingen The Netherlands
             Inter Art galerie Reich, Koln West Germany
             Art Basel, Switzerland
1986-87  Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
              Galerie ‘t Weefhuis, Nuenen The Netherlands           
1986      Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
 1985     “Wiek XX”, Groningen The Netherlands
              It Bleekershus, Drachten The Netherlands
1984      Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
1983      Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
1982      Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
              Het Kasteel, Coevorden The Netherlands
1981      Rijks Universiteit Galerie, Groningen The Netherlands
              Raadhuis Paviljoen, Westerbork The Netherlands
              Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands
1980      Brink 7, Yde The Netherlands

The Artist in his Studio and Sculpture Workshop

In February/March 2015 a number of Siene’s paintings adorned the Golden Room at Lansdown House, 123 Old Tai Tapu Road, Christchurch, during the “Lansdown Summer” Festival of Narropera and Melodrama.
www.lansdownsummer.com

www.lansdownsummer.com