Biography

Marieke (Rikki) Tollenaere (b. 1968, Pretoria, South Africa) is a multidisciplinary artist based in the Tramuntana mountains of Mallorca. Raised in Belgium, she studied art at the St Lucas Institute in Antwerp, followed by interior design at the Henri Van de Velde Academy. She later completed an intensive Master Painter programme at the Meylemans School, graduating summa cum laude.

After establishing a successful decorative painting business, specialising in trompe-l'œil, marble and wood imitations, Rikki followed her lifelong fascination with the sea and spent years sailing the Caribbean and beyond while working as a chef on private yachts. Travel, observation, and a deep connection to nature continue to shape her artistic practice.

Originally known for her seascapes and abstract paintings, Rikki's work has expanded into textile art, free-motion embroidery, hand stitching, and sculptural forms. Working with paint, fabric, thread, natural fibres, and found materials, she explores themes of place, memory, beauty, and our relationship with the natural world.

Her work moves between the delicate and the bold, combining careful craftsmanship with a spirit of curiosity and experimentation. Inspired by coastlines, wild plants, water, and weather, she creates artworks that invite viewers to slow down, look closely, and rediscover wonder in the overlooked.

Rikki has exhibited internationally, including in Belgium, Mallorca, the United States and Antigua; her work is held in private collections around the world.