I was born on one of the hottest days of 1976 in super-boring but super-beautiful (naturewise) Rhenen, the Netherlands. My dad owned a furniture factory KOEKOEK MEUBELEN there. He still makes pieces of furniture in his workshop in his backyard. My mom is an American, she moved from New York City to Rhenen after meeting my dad. She is an artist as well. And her dad, Arthur Hastings Sloggatt, was an artist too! He was an illustrator and he made political cartoons for a newspaper called the New York Mirror. He was also a watercolor-MASTER. On the picture on the left you see him with 5 of his 9 children. Since he made enough money to feed 9 children I figure he must have been very succesfull!! Unfortunately I never got to know Grandpa ART (btw what's in a name!?), he died just before I was born.
I got my BA in Illustration at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam and my MA at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. As part of an exchange programm I spent a semester at the Art Institute of Boston, which was a great oppurtunity. I worked hard and learned a lot. I especially miss the Bostonian music scene: cool record stores (and cheap!) , the best college radio and so many good shows.
I've been working as a freelance illustrator for some years now. I work a lot with my bloodbrother Geeske de Graaff. Together wer're called DUTCH DOLLS. Make sure to check out our website. You can buy all kinds of stuff, like underwear and pillows, and have a look at funny pictures of us DJ'ing.
I moved from Rotterdam to BERLIN in November! I will stay there for a couple of months. It's a great city, with lots of cool bars, cheap food and the best fleamarkets ever. I luvvvv it!!
If you're interested in what else I've been up to you can download my curriculum vitae (PDF) in Dutch here and in English here.
