Harriet van Reek
artist
Harriet van Reek
- Born
- the Netherlands
Harriët van Reek writes and illustrates children’s books. She initially studied to be an art and crafts teacher. After a few years of travelling the African continent, Japan and Ireland, she returned to the Netherlands, where she eventually became an established artist. Her first children’s book, Lena Lena, was published in 1986 and won both critical and public acclaim. Harriët van Reek’s books are characterised by their careful balance between image and text. The artist often leaves out details, intentionally achieving a deceptively naive imagery resembling kids’ drawings. The comical stories often lean towards the absurd and are driven by unexpected narrative twists. She positions herself firmly in the child’s perspective.
