"Most of what I learned about painting techniques came from sessions with other artists. I have been fortunate to learn from a talented few. My motivation and inspiration comes from the natural world, at places close by and far away."

Techniques:
- watercolour on watercolour paper
- oil on canvas or panel

Main exhibitions:
- 'Art and the Animal' - Neville Public Museum, WI - 2008
- 'Art und Vielvalt' - Museum fur Naturkunde Magdeburg, Germany - 2008
- 'Small works, big impressions' - The Wildlife Experience, CO - 2007
- 'Art and the Animal' - The Wildlife Experience, CO - 2007
- 'Birds in Art' - Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum of Art, WI - 2006
- 'Art and the Animal' - Nevada State Museum - 2005

Memberships:
- Artists for Nature
- Society of Animal Artists

Study trips:
- Kenya
- South Africa
- Egypt
- Mexico
- U.S.A. several parks and states
- Svalbard (Spitsbergen)
- Ireland

Born 1959, Netherlands
Resides in Amersfoort, Netherlands.

Ria paints wildlife, landscapes, arctic and oceanic scenes but most of all she likes painting parrots. Parrots have always been an interest because of their colors and characters. Many people share their lives and home with parrots, so parrots in art are loved by many people too. Another great thing about parrots is that there are so many species and they live on all continents. You never get bored with painting them because they are all so different. Study trips of observing parrots in the wild lie in the future. Next May is the first opportunity to study an endangered parrot species in the wild, which is the Echo Parakeet (Psittacula eques echo), endemic on Mauritius. Ria has been drawing and painting frome early childhood. Animals and birds were always her main subjects. She is mainly self taught but after getting private training became more accomplished in her techniques. She collects reference material during her study trips. Besides being an artist she is also an advanced scuba diver and an accomplished photographer.

Ria supports the World Parrot Trust (WPT). Recently she's been invited to develop new products for the benefit of the WPT, saving parrots worldwide. Nearly one-third of all parrot species are threatened in the wild and millions of pet parrots share people's lives and homes. The WPT is the leading parrot conservation organisation that works with parrot enthusiasts, researchers, local communities and government leaders to encourage effective solutions that protect parrots. Ria is happy to be one of them and contribute through her art.