Marja was born in The Netherlands and graduated from the Akademie voor Beeldende Kunsten in Arnhem, the Netherlands in 1972. After some years of teaching she became a full time painter. She spent 2 years painting in the South of France but moved to Ireland in 1982. She is a co-founder of Artspace Studios, Galway and has participated in many exhibitions in Ireland and abroad. In 1997 she established her own studio in Galway, where she dedicated her time to painting and printmaking.

Marja's work has appeared in numerous group exhibitions, most recently she has exhibited in the Affordable Art Fair, London; The Greenacres Gallery, Wexford; Carlow Arts Festival; The Graphic Print Studio Gallery, Dublin; Cong Art Gallery, Co.Mayo and Pigyard Gallery, Wexford.

Her Solo shows include a National Touring Exhibition; The Kenny Gallery, Galway; Denis Collins Gallery, Wexford; Wexford Fringe Festival; Carlow Arts Festival and Galway Arts Festival.

Her work is in many public collections, inluding: The Arts Council of Ireland Collection, The State Art Collection, Microsoft Irish Art Collection, Irish Trade Board, Office of Public Works, Western Health Board, Mayo County Council, Aalborg City Council, Denmark, Radisson Sas Hotel, Galway, Institute of Technology, Tallaght, Dublin and Dundalk, AIB, Dublin, Crumlins Childrens Hospital, Dublin. She received a travel award from the Department of Foreign Affairs for a solo exhibition in France.

Marja now lives and works in now live in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.

Artist's Statement

My paintings explore themes of childhood including elements of landscape, either local or foreign.
Strong influences are images and curios I have collected on travels abroad, particularly India, where vibrant colours and patterns have incorporated an Eastern feature to my work.

I enlarge elements, distort proportions and discard perspective introducing a playful imagery to give my work a light-hearted quality.