You won’t want to miss this exhibition at the stunning venue of the Steenfabriek. Four passionate individuals are showcasing their work across three disciplines: sculpture, painting and fly fishing.

John Boekema from Baarle Nassau initiated this exhibition. John is himself a talented sculptor; he loves creating works from alabaster, serpentine or soapstone. The result is always different from what he had in mind. He allows the new forms to emerge, as it were. He prefers to create abstract sculptures. He has recently been chipping, filing and polishing away with great pleasure. His many new works are beautifully showcased in the space at the Steenfabriek. John invited three fellow artists to exhibit at the Steenfabriek in Gilze.

Maaike Schunck, who lives in Lage Mierde, has always loved working with her hands. Since settling in Brabant, she has been studying painting at the art academy. It felt like coming home. Now, some 20 years on, she has specialised in portraiture. She also appeared on the TV programme *Plezier & Passie* on RTL4. At this exhibition, a small corner has been set aside featuring paintings that tell the remarkable story of her 14-year-old daughter Muze, who underwent a stem cell transplant. Maaike uses mixed media for her backgrounds, overlaid with acrylic or oil paint. Colour, composition and movement are central to her work. In 2013, she won the culture prize awarded by the municipality of Reusel-De Mierden.

The second painter to present her work is Suzanne Grem from Ravenstein. She too has been painting for over 20 years. Her passion lies in travelling, and she loves immersing herself in other cultures. On her travels to various beautiful places around the world, she takes photographs which she later transforms into paintings – her travel stories in oil. Her aim is to convey a feeling through colour and brushstrokes. This, in turn, gives you, the viewer, the opportunity to travel along with her.

And then there is Nico Heukels’ passion: fly fishing. This passion has two sides. Catching fish with imitation flies and making these flies. He uses old English patterns for this. Tying these flies is an art, and he lovingly devotes himself to it almost every day. During the exhibition, he will also give a demonstration and tell you more about it.

In short, plenty of reasons to visit the Steenfabriek in Gilze on the weekend of 25 and 26 June between 12 noon and 5 pm!

Brick factory Gilze
Steenfabriek 7, 5126PB