Rein de Vries was born in Leeuwarden in 1944. A graduate of both the Academie Vredeman de Vries in Leeuwarden and the Academie Minerva in Groningen, he also trained to teach painting and art, passing on knowledge and dialogue being core values of his art. Later, he obtained the Acts LO Drawing and Crafts and followed a post-academic course in Art Psychology at the Radboud (formerly Catholic) University in Nijmegen. He has held various teaching positions throughout his career. Between 1968 and 1972, De Vries taught drawing at the huishoudschool (a type of school where practical subjects were taught) in Surhuisterveen, the Mafû in Ferwert and the agricultural school in Marrum. From 1978 to 2009, he taught drawing and painting at the Creativity Centre de Sirkel in Heerenveen, until 2007 in It Toanhűs (formerly De Lantearne) in Joure and from 1992 to 2008 also at Parnas (formerly De Blauwe Stoep) in Leeuwarden.
De Vries sees art as a means by which to save the world and its inhabitants through stability and sustainability. Within that line of thought, De Vries juxtaposes natural backdrops with man-made elements, highlighting a rapport of scale and dominance. Through such confrontation, the artist seeks to underline the fragile balance of which we all are part. He developed this idea to the point of publishing a short book, Visie en visioen, accompanied by illustrations and envisaging energy-efficient alternatives, as early as 1999.
Among the prizes De Vries has received, the following stand out: the Threshold Prize for his painting of the city of Groningen; first prize for the weekly magazine Schuttevaer with a design Binnenfeartskip (1989); first prize for his design ‘Car of the future’ by Kijk/Bovag-Rai (1993).
