How did you end up at St. Joost School of Arts & Design in Breda?
“My friend lives in Tilburg and I was looking at creative courses. St. Joost in Den Bosch was actually more accessible, but I immediately fell in love with the old monastery in Breda. It felt a bit like Hogwarts from Harry Potter. A beautiful place and I immediately felt accepted. Here I can truly be myself.”

Did you always want to study something creative? 
“I was always interested in art. Together with my mother, I used to visit museums, especially fans of Van Gogh. It wasn't necessarily my plan to do something creative. I studied classical languages in Germany and initially wanted to go to university to become a teacher. I briefly studied pedagogy, but in class, I was always drawing. I actually thought I could never do anything professional with it. But when I came to live in the Netherlands, I thought: I'm just going to give it a try. And if it doesn't work out, at least I'll have had a good time.”

Do you also live in Breda? 
“No, I live in Tilburg, but I really like coming to Breda. I feel comfortable here. The city has such a nice entrance. When you walk out of the station, you can easily stroll into the park. Isn’t that lovely? The vibe here is good, and I enjoy being a tourist in the city centre.”

You are graduating now, what are you working on? 
“I am creating a graphic novel about animal cruelty. A heavy topic, but I believe it deserves more attention. It is a subject that is close to my heart.”

How would you describe your style? 
“I draw the world as I would like to see it myself. Dreamy, with a colour palette of lots of pink and purple. I find it challenging to see something beautiful in everything. I love architecture, cities, nature, and animals, but I also find it fun to turn an ugly motorway into something beautiful.”

And you have your own business, what are your plans with it? 
“I have been sharing my work on Instagram for some time. Very exciting, because you are putting a personal piece of yourself online. At one point, I was approached by a publishing house to design a book cover. So much fun! I did an internship at the Financial Times where I made illustrations for newspaper articles. After my studies, I really want to start building my own business. I think it would be nice to create books and freelance for newspapers. Furthermore, I am truly open to what comes my way.”

What do you like about entrepreneurship? 
“I took a minor in entrepreneurship because I knew nothing about it. I really enjoyed networking. And you get to make your own plan completely. You have freedoms that you wouldn't normally have. As an artist, you can also really stand behind your work when you have your own business.”

What do you miss in Breda for your professional sector? 
“I often go to the LocHal in Tilburg. In Breda, there is the Graphic workshop RAAF in Electron that you can go to, but it would be nice if there was another creative, accessible place where you can illustrate and draw in peace.”