Mieke was born in Amsterdam and took an interest in art very early in her life. At the tender age of fourteen and until the age of twenty she received private lessons from the renowned Dutch artist Rinus Duin. Having completed high school she entered the prestigious Gerrit Rietfveld Acadamy, one of the foremost art schools in the Netherlands. It was there that she studied painting and graphics, which shaped her career and continues to do so. After graduation she furthered her education by acquiring diplomas in teaching drawing and textile design. Inspired by the famous Provencal light Mieke moved to the beautiful village of Flayosc in the Var. Here she continues to paint, teach and host workshops.