Lydia Jonkman was born in 1971 in Smallingerland, the Netherlands. She lives and works in the town of Groningen. She began her Art education at Enschede in the Netherlands, gaining an Academy of Fine Arts diploma, and went on to the University of Groningen where she obtained her certificate to teach in schools, cultural centres and museums.

Thanks to a grant received from the Erasmus studio at the Genoa Academy of Fine Arts, she moved to Italy and there further developed her painting techniques, taking various courses focused on the creation, symbolism and significance of colour.

For Lydia, Italy was a stimulating new world, full of opportunities which led to the beginning of a series of collaborations with important galleries and museums such as the MART of Trento and Rovereto. She still likes to work in Italy with its beautiful light.
 
From 2003 until today she has participated in many exhibitions, both shared and solo, and has run painting workshops, for both adults and children, mainly in the Trentino Alto Adige region and in Groningen, the Netherlands.

Lydia’s art is a vibrant world, full of symbolism and of anthropomorphism. A truly amazing explosion of colours which inspire delight and joy, emotions she would love to share with those prepared to enter into her whimsical natural world.