Ilse Oelbers was educated in Lowestoft (England) in traditional wooden boatbuilding.  For a number of years she worked as a sailor and ships carpenter on various Tall Ships. In 2003 Oelbers came back to the Netherlands and started making wooden sculptures and other ship’s decorations. The urgent need  for making her own work resulted in 2010 in a life size clay sculpture which was bronze cast. A number of bronze sculptures and portraits followed in a small edition. Her work is developing continuously .