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European Studio Days
Pieter
Zaadstra was born on 15th of January 1955 at Skraerd, Frisia, Netherlands,
the first-born son of Sake Zaadstra and Ytje Grunstra, the local blacksmith's
daughter.
His
father Sake Zaadstra studied in various studios that followed the School of
Den Hague impressionism style using the cross-hatching techniques of the
brothers Maris. A feature of this technique was a limited grey palette and
strong blending styles creating moody atmospheric artworks.
Pieter
grew up under his father’s tutelage in these varied studio environments. At
10 years of age he won the inaugural ‘Gysbert Japix Tekenwedstryd’ national
art award.
Australian Studio Years
The
Zaadstra Family migrated to South Australia late in 1966 settling at Mount
Gambier. Pieter’s art education continued under his father’s direction
and he gained recognition as a 15 year old at the inaugural SE Land Art
Award. Pieter won several times as a junior entrant and later as a
mature entrant.
Recognition
of his artwork continued with many commissions, but especially as a portrait
painter. His portrait commissions included that of former SA Governor,
eminent scientist and Nobel Laureate, Sir Mark Oliphant as well as many
prominent business identities.
As
recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship, Pieter studied accountancy but the
passion for and popularity of his art again beckoned. As a twenty year
he acquired the old Burrungule North Primary School (near Mt Gambier) in 1976
and set up a full time professional art studio. With the success of the
Burrungule Art Studio a second gallery was built by the Zaadstra Family at
Compton in 1979.
During
the 1980s Pieter’s illustrations and fine artworks were published in several
brochures and magazines. Two books featuring his artworks were published,
“The Flight of the Black Cockatoo” and “Our Australian Kelpie” which was
launched by former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.
Pieter’s
interest in the publishing industry was furthered in the 1990s when he gained
skills in programming, especially for the Internet. During this period
he designed and scripted many commercial websites.
In
2002, prepared with a full list of experiences in the fine art world Pieter
returned to the studio, opening up a new workshop at Beachport, SA. He
married Tanya in 2003 in a secret ceremony on a distant rock overlooking the
Great Southern Bight.
With
his father's passing in 2003 Pieter and Tanya returned to manage the Compton
Gallery.
In
2005 Pieter accepted a commission to paint the Central Tasmanian Highlands
for a book about the fly fishing lifestyle. He and Tanya made their home and
opened a new studio/gallery at Gravelly Beach in the Tamar Valley, Tasmania.
In
2007 Pieter published his first Tasmanian book “The Artist & the Fly
Fisher” to excellent reviews as far away as England.
This
was followed in 2009 by a book featuring his ‘home’ town Mount Gambier and
the book of art called ‘Tamar Valley – an artist’s journal’ was published in
2010.
He
is currently working on a book about Tasmanian Icons in conjunction with 40
Degrees South magazine and a companion volume to “The Artist & the Fly
Fisher.”
Pieter
is in a working affiliation with America and South African interests to do a
series of art books featuring South Africa’s National Parks and also
Botswana.
Pieter’s
paintings are found in both corporate and private collections worldwide
including;
America
Japan
Malaysia
South Africa
Germany
New Zealand
Canada
Taiwan
Russia
Netherlands
Scotland
England
Sweden
Accolades and Awards in Australia
- SE
Land Annual Junior Art Awards winner early 1970's
- SE
Land Annual Senior Art Awards winner later in the 1970's
- Henry
Post Annual Art Awards winner
- Millicent
Rotary Club Annual Art Prize winner
- City
of Hamilton Acquisitive Art Prize winner
- City
of Mulgrave/Cairns Art Prize winner
- High
Commendation Certificate - Doug Moran National Portrait Prize
(Australia’s richest national portrait prize) 1996
- City
of Mount Gambier several acquired artworks
- City
of Millicent Council art collection acquisitions
- Riddoch
Art Gallery acquisitions
- Represented
in several corporate collections (NAB, Coca Cola, Kimberly Clark,
CSR/Softwoods, Matthews Hotel Group)
- Solo
Exhibition at Portland, Victoria
- Mixed
exhibition The Barn at McLaren Vale, Adelaide
- Solo
exhibition at The Barn McLaren Vale
- Exhibition
at Masonic Centre, North Terrace, Adelaide
- Official
Guest Artist Royal Adelaide Show, 1989
- “Our
Australian Kelpie Exhibition” - Hilton Hotel, Adelaide - 1991
- Published
artist of the books ‘The Flight of the Black Cockatoo’ 1987 & ‘Our
Australian Kelpie’ - 1991
- Guest
Artist Toronto Apex Club exhibition
- Guest
Artist Hamilton Rotary exhibition
- Feature
artist Millicent Rotary Club exhibition
- Featured
on The 7.30 Report ABC Television 1991
- Penola
Festival’s John Shaw Nielson Acquisitive Art Prize winner 1996
- Published
in Victorian Tourism Magazine
- Featured
in ‘Simply Living’ Magazine
- Zaadstra
Gallery feature on ABC National TV – Radio Pictures - 2001
- 2004
"New Works" Exhibition, Local Images Gallery, Penola, SA
- Published
in Art Australia Magazine
- 2004
Robert Riddoch Rymill Art Award, Penola, SA
- 2004
"Beyond Charcoal" Solo Exhibition, Studio One Gallery, Mt
Gambier
- Guest
Artist Onkaparinga Council/Wattle Range Council September 2004
- Finalist
– John Glover Award - 2006
- Cover
feature - American Stock Dogs magazine – 2006
- Solo
Exhibition – 1842 Gallery - Launceston – 2007
- Launched
“The Artist & the Fly Fisher” - Petrarchs Book Shop Launceston
- “The
Artist & the Fly Fisher” awarded Tasmanian PICA Award for Prestige
Publications.
- “The
Artist & the Fly Fisher” used by Tasmanian government for official
gifts
- Solo
Exhibition - The Salamanca Collection - Hobart – 2008
- Winner
– Victorian Fly Fishers Association Inaugural Art Prize – 2008
- Lifestyle
feature in Fly Life Magazine – 2009
- Featured
in 40 Degrees South Magazine - 2009
- Launch
of “Mt Gambier – an Essay in Art” – 2009
- Published
‘Tamar Valley – an artist’s journal’ - 2010-09-13 in an alliance with
the West Tamar Council.
- Unveiled
the 6 metres triptych art work about the Tamar River in the Riverside
Council Chambers.
- Featured
reviews Adelaide Advertiser, Hobart’s Mercury and RACT travel magazine.
- eBooks
featured on ISSUU international promotional website with links to
Zaadstra home pages.
Artist Proficiency Statement
- Pieter
trained in the use of oil paints on canvas, charcoal and pencil
sketching, photography skills & darkroom techniques, mixed media
illustration, typesetting and layouts for publishing, programming for
Internet applications, and has IT multi media communication proficiency.
- He
has run an art gallery for many years and staged one-man exhibitions.
- Past
President and Secretary of the South East Tourist Operators
organisation. (South Australia).
- Past
member of Apex, Rostrum and other community groups.
- Art
Teacher at TAFE Millicent & Mount Gambier.
- He
has conducted numerous art classes and working sessions for various art
groups.
- Past
President South East Art Society and manager of Studio One Gallery.
- Has
produced several high quality art books and publications, doing
typesetting and layout up to platemaking.
- Pieter
is a recognised author of short stories.
- Pieter
is a published author.
- He
is a specialist storyboard developer presenting both short and larger
publishing projects.
- Pieter
has worked on large projects in a team environment.
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