Born in the historic town of Ootmarsum, Hanneke starts life in a noted photographers family. As a child and throughout teenage years she often spent her time drawing. In 1988 she entered the Art Academy of Kampen, developing an abstract way of work. In those years Hanneke has mastered the processes of serigraphy, etching and stone lithography. She revels in a diverse and eclectic taste of art. Ultimately the distortions of most forms did not satisfy. One big remainer in all the years was photography and the fascination for landscapes. She places little value on literal translations. To create a strong sense of place, shapes are simplified and imagination is used. “Stylizing an image, I always try to emphasis the most characteristic parts of a landscape. I always was inspired by the border region of The Netherlands and its so called ‘coulissen landscape’ that I used in my work. In my effort to preserve scenic areas, the surroundings of the place where I currently live offers great opportunity and inspiration. I paint my landscapes with grinded pastels in bright, cheery, but subtile colours, creating a calm atmosphere”.