Rena Brouwer grew up in Lafayette, Indiana. Upon graduating from high school, she was offer the opportunity to work as an apprentice to become a visual merchandiser in 1970. She freelanced for several corporate merchandise companies and retired from Simon Malls in 1999.

 In the mid eighties she was asked to teach watercolors at a local art shop. During this time an international fine arts business, Winsor Newton saw her work and encouraged her to apply to teach watercolors nationally at art conventions. 1987-1990 she taught watercolors nationally and became a fine arts promotional artist. 1990 the West Lafayette Parks, Indiana , asked her to help start an arts program for the city along with artist Hilary Eddy and Bette Goodrich. She continues to offer classes at Morton Community Center. She was an instructor at the Art Museum of Lafayette 1995-1997.  Beginning in 1987, she has taught art through more than forty grants, as an artist in residence in public schools, libraries and not for profit agencies.

As an active member of arts organizations she has served on the board of the Watercolor Society of Indiana, Indiana Artists Club and a founding member of the Wabash Valley Watercolor Society. She is a member of the Hoosier Salon and Indiana Plein Aire Painters.

Collaboration has been a major element of Rena’s career.  Since the 80’s she has  worked on group projects for the United Nations , Cary Home for Children, AGAPE, Central Indiana Land Trust ,  and community projects .In  1992 she and Purdue University fine arts instructor, Linda Vanderkolk  began a collaboration supported by Tippecanoe Arts Federation and local broadcasting  , a summer arts program  for disadvantaged children which was aired on public television. 1997 she and professional writer Kathy Mayer presented a visual and literary exchange between local artists and a women's writers group. Rena organized two more major collaborations with music and visual performances for the community in the Tippecane Arts Federtion's galleries.  2002 Rena and four artists created the business Lafayette Renaissance Academy. Rena was Gallery Director and served as Director for the business which closed in 2006. 2005 she was one of fifteen professional artists in Indiana, from a chosen group of one hundred and fifty, for a two year promotional project for Central Indiana Land trust. International jurors for the exhibition selected Rena’s work for Outstanding Watercolor. She continues to work with various nature agencies, in addition to painting to the music of Joe Peters during live performances. 2009 the Delphi Preservation Society invited Rena to be a resident artist at the Opera House where her work is shown in The Opera House Gallery of Contemporary Art. Her work is in the Hoosier Salon, Brown County Art Guild, Juxtapose Art and You,Art Museum of Greater Lafayette and  Inspired Fire. 2010 she was juried into Indiana Artisan as a featured artist by the state.

Statement:

My life, my concentration, everything changes through the revelation of my creative ability. I strive to be free and sincere through observation, imagination and interpretation of various subjects.Working with an avant garde approach, I develop my individuality by placing emphasis on the strength of interpretation of a subject and  the  innovative use of the medium.

 Recent awards , acceptances , invitations, honors:

 

 Rena@RenaBrouwer.com