Pia Margriet Seinen: Silk Painter, Homesteader, Southern Humboldt Art Icon

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Pia Margriet Seinen
October 5, 1943 – November 17, 2025

Pia Margriet Seinen, 82, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of November 17, 2025, in Huntsville, Alabama, from complications arising from Lewy Body Dementia. Her daughter was at her side.

Margriet was born on October 5, 1943, in De Krim, the Netherlands, to Klaas Seinen and Aaltje Werkman. Her artistic gifts emerged early in life, as she delighted in drawing pictures for her brothers to color, a first expression of the creativity that would shape her life.

In 1952, Margriet immigrated with her family to Terrace, British Columbia, Canada. She later attended Calvin College in Michigan, where she met Don Lehr. They married and welcomed one daughter, Alicia. The couple divorced in 1971.

Following the divorce, Margriet and Alicia lived in various places throughout British Columbia, traveling into the wild and rural places Margriet loved. During these years, Margriet attended fairs and festivals, traveling by camper van and selling her embroidery and handmade clothing.

Eventually, Margriet and Alicia settled on a mountainside near Garberville, in Northern California, a place that became Margriet’s true home. She became a homesteader, building her own home, greenhouses, and outbuildings, cultivating food, and raising chickens.

There, her artistic practice flourished. She began with soft sculpture and soon became widely known for her luminous silk paintings, which reflected her deep connection to nature, color, and form.

Margriet taught silk painting and mandala workshops, guiding others with patience, warmth, and encouragement. Teaching brought her great joy, as did watching others discover their own creativity. She inspired students not only through instruction, but through her belief in the creative spirit. Margriet also loved to dance, finding freedom and expression in movement throughout her life.

Margriet’s work graces many homes across Northern California. She is remembered as an iconic presence at summer and winter art fairs for decades throughout Southern Humboldt and as a pivotal member of the Southern Humboldt Art Gallery. Her artistry, independence, and quiet determination left a lasting imprint on her community.

Margriet lived a life guided by creativity, courage, and self-reliance. She leaves behind a legacy of beauty, resilience, and love that will continue through her family, and her art.

Margriet is survived by her daughter, Alicia, her grandson Devon, her daughter in law Amorette, her grandson A.J. McReynolds, and a great granddaughter expected in June. She is also survived by her four brothers, Dick and his wife Margaret, Nico, Bert and his wife Janna, and Henry and his wife Janette, as well as many nieces and nephews.

There will be a memorial for Margriet in June 2026, at Benbow Park. Her daughter, Alicia, will be bringing her ashes home to the land she lived on for decades. A specific date and time will be announced. For more information or to connect with Alicia please email [email protected]