Irene M.E. Bruynsteen was born in Indonesia at Sumatra's island in 1949. It is in this place where she spent the first nine years of her life. Therefore specific memories of this early period are seen throughout her artistic work. Eventhough she did not follow a former education in Arts, there has always been a passion for drawing and painting very much present in her.
It is not until 1985 that she decided to start taking lessons, and seriously and consequently tried to improve her work gaining more experience in different techniques. Most certainly her acquaintance with Hennie Kuyper-Meijnen, painter and restorer, had a great impact on her work, since thanks to her she was introduced to all the secrets of oil and aquarel painting techniques.
Later on she attended lessons form Setske Beek, Fernande Laas, Ger Daniëls and Cor Krijt. Indeed, not only the love for color but also her dreams of an oriental reality characterize her work. Beside portrait painting she has a preferance for painting individuals in their own environment and in circumstances that are fascinating and emotional.
Irene Bruynsteen has held exhibitions in 1997 and in 2000 in Haarlem, The Netherlands, at different locations.