Robin Veerkamp

My name is Robin Veerkamp. I am a freelance illustrator. I have some college experience however was not able to complete for a degree. I love nature. Most of my artwork is done form original photography of plants and animals. I worked 13 years at Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, MS and was able to take pictures of plants native to the Pearl River Valley Drainage Basin. I also enjoy drawing landscapes and animals.

I have a studio built on to my house where I work with inspiration from my own surroundings. I plan on exhibiting work this year on Frenchman's Street, for sale and show, in New Orleans. I work primarily in color pencil, chalk pastel and ink. I prefer working on projects that are at least 18x24 in size. My work is colorful and resembles water color paintings. I use rapidiograph pens for sketching in nature. I greatly enjoy sketching on nature. I teach nature sketching classes throughout the year to young and old alike. It is one of the most interesting ways to learn about the world around you by keeping things in a very small perspective. Things like a pinecone lying on a gravel path become much more interesting when you look deeper into the image and see the small raccoon footprints beneath the leaf litter, the color of the leaves on the ground and even the shapes and color in each piece of gravel.

Art and nature is my everything. It is what I eventually want to do for a living. I also want to be able to use my work to raise funds for environmental and animal rights organizations that need help to get their jobs done in order to make this a better world.

In conclusion, my goal in life is peace, love and happiness and to live each day engaged in the creative process of drawing and expression.