About Terra

Since 1986 Galerie Terra Delft has presented a wide variety of contemporary ceramics under the leadership of Simone Haak and Joke Doedens. Galerie Terra Delft is located in the historic center of the city of Delft, The Netherlands.

It is unusual to find a permanent place in the Netherlands where such a diverse range of high-quality ceramics can be admired and purchased. Come to Terra not only for a lovely mug or a decorative vase, but also a uniquely decorative piece of ceramic artwork. Contemporary ceramics features a wide variety of products, and the work in this sector of the visual arts is growing more and more interesting. In 2024, Terra Delft will win the biennial Van Achterbergh Prize: Galerie Terra Delft receives the prize for the fact that they are advocates for ceramics in the Netherlands with enormous passion, drive, boundless energy and perseverance. On the occasion of this award, the Museum Princessehof in Leeuwarden presents an exhibition about the work of Galerie Terra.

During the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Terra Delft Gallery the two gallery owners were awarded with the Municipality penning Delft. The Delft City Council provided the pace for the generation of great renown of Delft ceramics town at home and abroad.

In addition to a regular schedule of exhibits and participation in art fairs, Galerie Terra Delft remains a permanent sales point for well-known Dutch and foreign artists. The collection includes both applied and autonomous work. The gallery has an active and motivating vision for its affiliated artists and their public.

Terra Delft: Ceramic Art & Design since 1986

Staff

Simone Haak

In 1975 Simone graduated from the art academy ‘Minerva’ in Groningen, The Netherlands. She then worked for eighteen months in the experimental department of Royal Delft Pottery ‘De Porceleyne Fles’, in Delft. She exhibited regularly at home and abroad while also teaching ceramics and crafts at the Rijnlands Lyceum in Oegstgeest and Delft University of Technology. Since 2011 Simone travels to Jingdezhen-China on regular base to participate and to organize exchange projects and exhibitions.

Simone Haak started Galerie Terra Delft together with Joke Doedens in 1986. In addition to general policymaking, Simone is responsible for external contacts, including with the artists, and she is still producing ceramics herself.

Technical process or message? What is the most important in a ceramic object? “The message is primary; the technique is necessary for its realization. The message can be compelling, but a product must be technically sound. Quality is the sum of essence and execution.” In 2016, during the 30 years jubilee festivities, Simone Haak was awarded with the Municipality penning Delft as gratitude for the promoting of Delft Ceramic City national and international.

Joke Doedens

In 1986, at the age of 24, Joke Doedens started Galerie Terra Delft with Simone Haak. Before this she had worked as a silversmith for a jeweler and a silver factory after her training in Amsterdam, where both craftsmanship and administration were required parts of the jewelry-making diploma.

In 1988 she re-trained and worked part-time as a bookkeeper until 1999, when the expansion of the Galerie Terra Delft required her full-time efforts. In addition to general policymaking, Joke is responsible for the financial administration, website and bookkeeping. Joke has played the saxophone since she was eleven years old. In 2016, during the 30 years jubilee festivities, Joke Doedens was awarded with the Municipality penning Delft as gratitude for the promoting of Delft Ceramic City national and international.

Yingchao Wu

Yingchao Wu (Chao), originally from Cangzhou, China, moved to the Netherlands in 2009 for a Master's in Bioinformatics at TU Delft. In 2013, she and her husband Di met gallery founders Simone and Joke. Through shared cycling and camping trips, a strong friendship blossomed, sparking Chao's deep passion for ceramics.

In 2020, the couple returned to China to promote Terra Delft's artists, opening the exhibition space "Terra Beijing" and participating in Shanghai art fairs. However, pandemic challenges and a longing for their life in the Netherlands prompted a plan to return in early 2024. After successfully moving back to Delft, Chao officially joined the Galerie Terra Delft team in late 2024, working closely alongside Simone and Joke.

Di Cao

Di, originally from Beijing, arrived in the Netherlands in 2009 to study Embedded Systems at TU Delft. Following his graduation, he has built a successful, ongoing career in his field of expertise.

When he and his wife Chao relocated to China in 2020, Di played a crucial role in launching and operating "Terra Beijing." Together, they navigated the art market and showcased Dutch ceramics at major fairs in Shanghai. Driven by a strong desire to reconnect with their Dutch roots and friends after the difficult pandemic years, they made their way back to Delft in 2024. Today, Di balances his full-time engineering profession with his enduring commitment to the gallery, frequently bringing his supportive presence to Terra Delft on Saturdays.