Articles and reviews
Articles in newspapers and magazines
Women pool love of ocean, in WA Community Newspapers, September 13, 2011
InStyle: Out of Africa, in Sunday Times Home, March 28, 2010
FotoFinish: Tineke Van der Eecken in Sunday Times Home, 13-14 February 2010
Rings of stone, in Fremantle Gazette, November 2009
"The natural environment is a rich source of inspiration for Beaconsfield artist Tineke Van der Eecken ..."
Insight: Tineke Van der Eecken, author/jewellery designer (original title: Inzicht: Tineke Van der Eecken, auteur/juwelenontwerpster) in Knack Weekend, 15 July 2009
Zeven levens tegelijk in Knack, November 2007 (view pdf)
Patti adds colour to display, in Subi Post, July 5, 2005
Artists push the boundaries, in Subi Post, June 25, 2005
Little Gems, Western Suburbs Newspaper, May 2004
Jeweller in focus, the Hills Newspaper, March 2004
Sint-Niklase in Australie, door Yves Vrebos in, Gazet van Antwerpen, 16-17 Aug 2003
Sieraden schitteren in boswachterswoning, door Sylvain Luyckx in Het Nieuwsblad, 5 Augustus 2004
Review of 'Rock Pool Rhythms', September 2011 by Jan Altman
There was a time when it was thought that objects made from materials such as fabrics, clay, metal, wood or stone were to be described as craft and that objects made with paint and canvas were entitled to be described as art. There was also an attitude that objects from the former category must comply with particular rules and traditions or they would be seen as not maintaining faith with their own kind. These attitudes were based on a general assumption that craft production followed formulae and directions in order to achieve predictable outcomes. There was creativity, but little room for innovation or variation. Works of art, on the other hand, transcended their materials and techniques to create original expressions in meaningful and enduring ways. Of course crafts could transcend their humble materials and established techniques to become art but it took an experienced and determined effort to bring this about. When this did happen the results were, and still are, inspiring, even magical. It created the type of magic that happens when a humble lamp-maker becomes Louis Comfort Tiffany or a simple jeweler turns into Rene Lalique or Carl Fabergé.
During the late nineteenth century such magic was practised, promoted and finally became accepted through the efforts of gifted people such as William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rosetti and others of the Art Craft Movement. In Europe Gustav Klimt, Otto Wagner and others formed the Vienna Secession Movement. The aim of both of these groups was to establish the idea that ornamentation, skill, design and functionality could and should all work together to produce beautiful objects. As the Secessionists put it, ‘would you not care to drink your wine from an artistically fashioned glass?’
Design, skill, delicacy, attention to detail and ornamentation, as well as variety, imagination, and even magic, are all present in Tineke Van de Eecken’s jewellery and Lyn Franke’s fabric paintings. Designs are mainly organic and irregular, although some pieces such as Tineke’s neckpiece with a Tahitian black pearl set in gold with an organic cast seedpod is refined, elegant and classical. Here the pearl appears to fall naturally and gracefully, like a full, ripe grape from the vine. Her mabe pearl ring in silver is also classical, elegant and sophisticated. Another neckpiece made from silver, fossilised coral with quartz beads and blue agate, is irregular and organic in design. Such combinations of materials and design give a sense of freedom and spontaneity, but there is no lack of purpose or control. The centre stone is ‘embroidered’ with an edging in crocheted silver. Producing crochet with such material must have been far more challenging than crochet with silk thread.
Into the Deep is a neckpiece designed around a cross section of a Madagascan agate slice, with pyrite, rutile quartz and plain quartz beads with silver and gold dust. This piece combines organic and geometric shapes in a well designed balance. The beads are mostly oval shaped, but the feature is a ‘square’ set with a beautifully contrasted circular shape. The earth colours bring the whole piece together.
Tineke is not afraid to put together a variety of materials. Pieces of glass or pebbles sit comfortably with semi-precious stones and silver. These pieces are as original and expressive as any painting. They certainly do not follow any formulae or pre-established directions. They are ‘wearable art’ at its best, making ‘fashion statements’ wherever and whenever they are seen. Materials and techniques come together in unexpected and delightful ways to create artforms which are often whimsical and playful, but at all times quite beautiful.
Lyn’s textile compositions also confirm the idea that there is no real difference between art and craft. They may be made from fabric, and they may use the techniques of felting, dying and stitching, but they are worked on canvas and paper, and the only way to ‘read’ them is as abstract and expressionist paintings. They combine materials and techniques to create effects which are as imaginative and evocative as those achieved by any artform. The Rockpool Series of works consists of textile on paper. These combine inks and fabrics which are embroidered by machine and then attached to the paper together with found pieces of seagrass and seaweed. This creates colourful patterns and lace motifs. The rich colours and the dynamic movements of these works give a strong feeling of looking through the water and into the life forms of a rock pool.
Rockpool Infusion and Undercurrent, as well as other works on canvas, combine acrylic paint or ink with material such as sand, crushed shells and seagrass. In terms of composition these works use swirling dynamic forces to spiral the eye downwards into deeper levels. The magical thing about spirals is that they never end. They sweep downwards and then upwards again, often at the same time, and often creating mesmerising effects. That is exactly what is achieved in these two works. The light and the dark tones eddy and swirl as if to take the viewer downwards and upwards at the same time. Rockpool Infusion has a structure that takes the imagination of the viewer deep into the pure, blue water, so that the experience is indeed to ‘fuse’ with it. It swirls downwards and inwards towards a white focal point which suggests something even deeper – ‘a still point in a turning world’.
Symbolically, water is the source of all existence. It represents the continual flux and movement of the physical world, and also what lies beyond the physical. Flux and movement can suggest chaos, but also regeneration, life and creativity. Imaginatively, it can bring the mind and cosmos into mysterious relationships with each other – what is within is also beyond.
Ocean Nebular does not use spirals, but it does encapsulate much of the ‘meaning’ in these works. A nebular is a cloudlike cluster of distant stars which lies beyond the limits of our solar system. Such a formation is sometimes thought to contain the secrets of how life began. Suggesting such a concept by means of what might be seen in a rock pool invokes ideas of macrocosm and microcosm. In other words, the microcosm of the human mind and the macrocosm of the universe are brought into a functioning, harmonious whole.
Artists such as Tineke and Lyn use techniques and materials to create aesthetic and symbolic meanings in ways which remind us that there are no longer any tensions between art and craft. Such words can now be used as simple descriptions instead of implying value judgements. After all, the creativity that produces both art and craft comes from the same source.
Review of 'Pink', May 2010 by Jan Almann
"In Modernist times fashion generally turned away from any kind of excess or even ornamentation. It followed the aesthetic thinking of the times into the philosophy that ‘form follows function’. This gave rise to the slim, streamlined figure of the 1920’s, and the classical designs of Coco Chanel. Jewellery was important but mainly as an accessary, along with handbags and shoes.
In these Postmodernist times there has been a return to the idea of accessories as ornamentation, and as aesthetic creations in their own right. There is almost a feeling that one cannot over-accessorise, that different styles and different materials can be brought together in whatever way seems interesting, imaginative or creative. One way of describing this movement in fashion is through the concept of ‘bricolage’- the bringing together of bits and pieces (bric a brac) from wherever and whenever seems appropriate to create the desired effect. Thus, Tineke has used unusual combinations of precious metals (mainly silver) and fabrics.
This sort of approach (one writer calls it ‘pick n mix’) must present artists and designers with great freedom but also real challenges. The way that these challenges are met in this work is through the quality of the designs and the technical skill with which they are carried out. The objects produced are not just pieces of jewellery; they are ‘wearable art’ works. Because of this, they may be part of the current trend or fashion of eclecticism, but they will be making fashion statements for a very long time to come."
Review on Modeshow, Monart Studio and Gallery, May 2004 by Shirley Clancy
"This was Belgian-born, and Perth-based Tineke's first solo exhibition in Australia of her jewellery and handbags.
Using the unusual method of professional models on a catwalk with background projectuions of Tineke's pieces
interspersed with scenes of landscape, birds and animals from Australia and Africa and set to a great sound track
of Australian, Belgian and African music, the jewellery, handbags and belts were displayed to an engrossed mixed
audience."
The Bulletin. Women's Art Register, Melbourne, Issue No 37, Summer 2004.
Review on Carry, a mixed exhibition at the Old Bakery gallery, December 2003
"Tineke Van der Eecken made beguilding bags from handknitted or crochet sterling silver, copper and coloured wire.
Incorporated with the wire were glass beads, semiprecious stones (some found by her geologist husband) and seed
pearls. Her bags were themed with such titles as Eclipse, Nullarbor and Desert Scene and were based on actual places
and events that Tineke had experienced. Many of the bags were hand painted silk and Tineke had made all of the
fittings and clasps."
The Bulletin. Women's Art Register, Melbourne, Issue No 36, Summer 2004
If you work for the media and would like to contact the artist, please use the email form on this site which is checked on a regular basis.
