Jossy de Roode-van der Lee was born in Surabaya, in the then Dutch East Indies. Jan was born in Vlaardingen. Both were born in the Sumatrastraat, but each on a different continent. Jossy came to the Netherlands with her parents and settled in Rotterdam-Overschie, where Jan also came to live. Both spent their youth there.
Jossy went to the Art Academy for a short period, but got a singing career with the pop group The Familee, in which she performed and made records at home and abroad with her brothers and sisters for 13 years.
After his military service, Jan went into advertising and started advertising agency Goodwill. After the media part was transferred to his partner, he specialized in sales promotions.
Jossy and Jan got married and worked together in their company “Jan de Roode Promotions bv”, located in Rotterdam. A busy, but fun time, together with their 4 children.
After their children left home, they moved from Rotterdam to Burgh Haamstede in Zeeland.
Jossy changed course and picked up her artistry again. She followed a 3-year course in painting techniques at the Isard Institute in Antwerp. She started teaching sculpting and painting, in her own studio and at the Volksuniversiteit in Middelburg. She organized exhibitions, wrote books and articles for various hobby, garden and interior magazines.
But she changed course completely when she discovered an environmentally friendly molding polymer, with which various natural materials can be made rock hard and resistant to outdoor use.
Jossy developed a technique that turned out to be accessible to many hobbyists.
Her designs quickly became famous. Artists were also inspired by her designs and techniques. Countless workshops and courses followed.
For years they traveled halfway around the world together to promote this art form. After 20 years, Jan sold Jan de Roode Promotions bv and started working on commerce and logistics in their new company Paverpol International.
13 years later, this company was also sold and is continued in good hands. Now Jossy and Jan are exclusively occupied with designing and making sculptures in Spain. At Galerie Haamstede, in Burgh Haamstede, there is a permanent exhibition of regularly changing work.
Josefine Art can be reached via email: info@josefine-art.com or tel: 0031(0)6-51582085