Griet van der Meulen (b. 1956, BA Fine Arts, University of Pretoria)
Griet van der Meulen was born in 1956. She began her academic journey at the University of Pretoria, where she earned a BA degree in Afrikaans Literature and History of Artain 1979. The following year, she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Museum Sciences at the same university.
Her formal education continued with a Fine Arts Diploma from the University of Technology, Pretoria, which she completed in 1991. Demonstrating a continuous pursuit of knowledge and artistic excellence, Griet achieved an Honours degree in Fine Arts from the University of South Africa in 2002 and is currently enrolled in a Masters degree program in Fine Arts at the same institution for the 2012/2013 academic year.
Griet’s artistic career has been marked by notable achievements and recognitions. In 1991, she was awarded the Schweikerdt Prize for Excellence in Painting at the University of Technology. A decade later, in 2001, she participated in a residency in Dortmund, Germany, sponsored by the Mpumalanga Government and the German Frauen Kunstforum. This residency was part of a cultural exchange program involving about 100 female artists from Europe, where they created works in abandoned warehouses and factories in Westphalia, highlighting the fallibility of industrialization.
Her informal training includes studies at the Ruth Prowse School of Art in Cape Town and the Ottawa School of Art in Canada, both in the year 2000. Griet’s extensive exhibition history features numerous shows in South Africa and internationally, contributing to the widespread recognition of her work.
Griet’s work is part of various private collections across South Africa, Germany, Canada, France, Spain, Korea, Holland, and Belgium. Public collections include the Government of Mpumalanga, where her works are on permanent exhibition. Additionally, she was commissioned by the National Capital Commission of Canada to create a series of murals exhibited on Confederation Square in Ottawa, Canada. Griet has been included in numerous group exhibitions at White River Gallery and notably held her first solo exhibition at White River Gallery in June 2024, A place of belonging.
Griet van der Meulen’s commitment to art is further exemplified by her participation in "The Women's Environmental Network" during her four-year stay in Ottawa, Canada. Her involvement in numerous exhibitions through this network showcased her dedication to environmental and social issues.
Reflecting on her personal journey, Griet shares a deep connection to her roots: “When my mother died, I returned to Graskop to live in her home and cherish her garden, getting back to the roots that never left me. A garden is a silent witness of the lives it has held in its spaces. A repository of memories, tears, laughter, and secrets. Being the steward of a garden is an important job. A garden can never be a possession, only a gift, a privilege, and a joy. Being able to sleep warm at night looking at the garden through a window is a comfort and blessing. For a garden to be the world, it needs love, care, a few dogs, and a veggie patch.”
Griet van der Meulen’s life and work are a testament to her profound understanding of art, community, and the environment, making her a significant figure in the contemporary art world.
