ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
With warmth and attention
to detail at its core.
V. Noteboren (Véronique Schulpen Noteboren, 1978) is a Dutch contemporary artist based in Stein, Limburg.
Her practice explores symbolism, perception, and the shifting relationship between visibility and absence. Working primarily with acrylic and mixed media, she constructs layered figurative works in which surface meaning and hidden narrative coexist.
Recent body of work.
Her current major series, Dans le Voile du Silence, explores themes of silence, fragmentation, and emotional disappearance. In this body of work, figures dissolve into layered space, where identity is no longer fixed but suspended between presence and withdrawal. The series focuses on atmosphere and psychological residue, creating images that operate as moments of visual stillness rather than narrative explanation.
This series represents the central focus of her recent practice.
Conceptual framework.
Alongside this body of work, her broader artistic practice is informed by Eighteen Voices of Time, One Face. This series investigates how historical visual languages continue to resonate within contemporary figurative painting. Rather than reconstructing art history, it translates art movements into symbolic portraits, treating history as a living system of recurring visual forms.
This framework underpins her approach to image-making and informs the conceptual depth across her practice.
Additional work.
Her work also includes thematic explorations such as an Egyptian-inspired series and works incorporating traditional Saxon blue porcelain plates. These pieces extend her interest in cultural memory, material symbolism, and the transformation of historical references into contemporary visual language.
Background.
Before fully dedicating herself to her artistic practice, Noteboren worked for over twenty-five years as a visual arts teacher. This experience continues to inform the reflective and interpretative dimension of her work, where viewers are invited to actively read and decode visual language.
Based in the Netherlands, working internationally.
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Rooted in Study,
Guided by Intuition
Noteboren first studied fashion design before completing her education as a drawing teacher in Sittard. While her training provided a strong theoretical foundation in art and visual education, much of her artistic practice developed autodidactically. This combination has resulted in a versatile and technically confident artist who deliberately moves between styles, techniques, and materials
Working primarily with acrylic paint and mixed media, Noteboren is intrigued by symbolism and layered meanings. Her work often invites viewers to look beyond the decorative surface and question the deeper message hidden within the image. Rather than adhering to one predictable style, she embraces versatility and experimentation, allowing each concept to determine its own visual language.
Layers of Thought and Matter
A distinctive element in her current work is the use of traditional Saxon blue porcelain. In many Dutch households this recognizable porcelain carries nostalgic associations with the tableware of previous generations. By reusing these plates as a painterly surface, Noteboren connects heritage and sustainability with a contemporary artistic perspective.
Her current body of work includes the “Royals” series, in which portraits of powerful women emerge across fragmented porcelain plates. The contrast between elegance and fragility forms an important metaphor within the work. Alongside this series, Noteboren has created an earlier series of eighteen watercolor self-portraits exploring twentieth-century art movements, demonstrating her curiosity for stylistic diversity and historical dialogue.
Still Unfolding
Throughout the years she has participated in various exhibitions in the Netherlands, including presentations in municipal buildings, castles, art walls, and cultural venues. Her work has also been shown in connection with the Harry Dobbelstein Prize at the Terpkerkje in Urmond. In addition to exhibiting, she has organized and curated exhibitions herself and has sold both autonomous works and commissioned pieces.
While new series are already developing in the background, Noteboren prefers to let the future unfold gradually. One thing remains constant: her drive to create artworks that are visually striking, technically strong, and intriguing enough to make viewers pause and ask what story lies beneath the surface.
The Collection
Silent grace
Dans Le Voile du Silence
In this series, Véronique Noteboren explores the human drive for power and elevation. Royal figures serves starting point, stripped of their visible symbols of status. What remains is the human being itself: dignified, still and simultaneously vulnerable.
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Egypt History
Egypt
This series combines Egyptian motifs with the tradition of Saxon blue. The patterns reinforce one another and merge into a natural visual language in which the boundaries between cultures blur. What seems familiar takes on a different meaning through its encounter with the unknown. This gives rise to a contemporary interpretation of cultural heritage and the ongoing interaction between civilizations.
21 century
Eighteen voices of time, one face.
In this series of eighteen self-portraits, Véronique Noteboren explores how identity and visual language evolve throughout the 20th century. Each watercolor interprets a distinct art movement, where her face shifts yet remains recognizable. A quiet study of observation, transformation, and the courage to reveal.
To be unfolded in your mind
The Key to Freedom Lies in the Shadow of Sin
Alongside my thematic series, I create symbolic acrylic paintings on canvas that explore the world beyond the visible. Through layered imagery, symbolism, and a subtly mysterious atmosphere, I invite viewers to engage with the work on a personal level and discover their own interpretations. Rather than revealing a single narrative, these paintings encourage reflection and contemplation, forming an essential part of my overall artistic oeuvre.