Gallery Hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday Noon to 5 pm through March 10

New Hope Arts Speakers Series: Annelies van Dommelen, March 2, 4 - 6 pm.

Read more about Annelies and her work in ARTNEWSNOW!

“ Annelies van Dommelen: Unstill  Life,” a retrospective tracing the career of the noted, multi-faceted artist opens at the New Hope Arts Center on Saturday, February 17 and runs through Sunday, March 10.

This retrospective exhibition showcases the many mediums of van Dommelen whose body of work includes acrylics, oils, watercolors, printmaking, paper making, and assemblage and 3-dimension sculptural dioramas. Collectively her artworks often encompass more than one medium.

Her work, both abstract and figurative, is inspired by the world around her.  She comments,” I am deeply inspired by nature’s forms and colors but I am not one who will reproduce it.  I respond to it, and by memory, osmosis, or invention, the animals, insects, human figures or blooms of my design will occupy the work which then creates a story line for both myself and the viewer to follow.”

As a young girl she grew up in Washington Crossing State Park where her father, Dirk van Dommelen, a post-war immigrant from Holland, was Chief Forester. Surrounded by nature her avid interest in animals, birds and flora inspired her visual curiosity.  Annelies began her formal training at Mercer County Community College, continued at the Hussian School of Commercial Art, the Princeton Art Association and the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts. Always striving to broaden her perspective and hone her skills, she received numerous fellowships to study at various creative centers including the Penland School of Craft, Haystack Mountain School, Zea Mays Printmaking, and the Vermont Studio School among others. She has exhibited regionally in Hunterdon and Bucks Counties, in Philadelphia and abroad. Van Dommelen is the recipient of numerous honors including two New Jersey Council on the Arts awards. She was also honored by The Phillips Mill Annual Exhibition as featured artist in 2019.

Annelies chose the title Unstill Life for her retrospective, to celebrate her constant growth in art and compassion. Her 30-year history as a long-time cancer survivor is vividly expressed in her art practice which sustained her through the challenges of her life and her health. Anneliese’s personal triumph over disease and her strength of conviction indelibly mark her talent and move us through her journey.