Aside from studying to become a furniture maker, Wobbe Alkema also took evening classes in furniture drawing and design at the Academy Minerva in Groningen. He received private drawing lessons from sculptor Willem Valk. Around 1920, he created drawings and paintings in an abstract geometric style, showing similarities to the work of Bart van der Leck. Alkema became a member of the Groningen art circle “De Ploeg” in 1924, where he had contact with Jan Wiegers, Jan Altink, Henk Melgers, and Hendrik Werkman. Between 1924-1926, he also had connections with Belgian constructivists. His style in these years can be characterized as abstract-geometric. From 1928-1930, Alkema traveled through Germany. The influence of Kandinsky can be felt in his work from the 1930s. In addition to paintings and drawings, he also created watercolors, woodcuts, and linocuts. He temporarily stopped painting between 1935 and 1947 due to depression and lack of space.
www.ftn-books.com has several Alkema titles available.
