Donated by Sandra and Marco Balestrin
Statement:
Rudolf Bikkers is a Canadian painter and one of the few remaining all-round master printmakers. He taught at H.B. Beal Secondary School, was Chair of the Printmaking Department at Fanshawe College, and established the Master Print Studio “Editions Canada Inc.”. He became the Chair of Printmaking at OCA (now OCAD) and taught there until 2012.
Sandra and I weren’t planning on buying a Rudolf Bikkers print, but that’s often the case with art purchases. We answered an ad in the local paper, listing some antique carpets for sale; having recently bought a house, we needed some floor coverings. We purchased one of the rugs, and then the owner asked if we’d like to look at some art he had for sale. After looking at some uninspiring English horse-and-hound things, he pointed out this other piece he had, which was the Bikkers. He stated that he had traded for it for some services he had done for Rudy, when they both taught at Fanshawe. We liked the piece right away, and thought it would look great in our newly-painted kitchen. And it did.
Originally from Holland, Rudolf Bikkers is a Toronto based painter and printmaker who has exhibited nationally and internationally. After completing his Master of Fine Arts from Jan van Eyck Academie in Maastricht, Bikkers immigrated to Canada in 1966. Bikkers has taught drawing at HB Beal High School, was the head of the Printmaking Department at Fanshawe College, and was a printmaking professor at Western University. He is currently teaching at the Ontario College of Art and Design and is a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of the Arts.