Drawn Together

2025. Getekend Leven, colourful stories from Plan Einstein: life in an asylum seekers’ centre in Utrecht. With this graphic novel, I offer a glimpse into life in and around the asylum neighbourhood centres (ABCs) in Utrecht, which are set up according to Plan Einstein. This reception model was created in 2016. The initiative revolves around living together, learning together and working together, and builds connections between residents of both the permanent and temporary ABC locations and the people living in the surrounding Utrecht neighbourhoods.

Commissioned by the Municipality of Utrecht in collaboration with The Social Collective, Plan Einstein, COA, Hogeschool Utrecht and WelkominUtrecht.

Connected Lines

Connected Lines is a workshop in which we meet each other through drawing and capture each other on paper. Use the pen to truly see one another. It’s not about making the most lifelike portrait possible, but about listening to each other attentively.

A workshop for anyone who is curious about others and about what drawing can mean for meeting and connecting.

This workshop was part of Bevrijdingsfestival Utrecht 2026 – Huis van Actief Burgerschap/Bibliotheek Neude, ZIMIHC – Plan Einstein anniversary, Grote Stadsdiner Bibliotheek Overvecht, Bibliotheek Kanaleneiland, HKU seminar ‘Empathy as an engine’ and De Saffier in beeld.

Friends of Overvecht

2026. Together with The Social Collective, we went into the Overvecht neighbourhood to get to know its residents better.

What’s on their minds?

What matters to them?

And what would they like to share with people who don’t live in the neighbourhood?

These conversations resulted in seven different conversation posters, bundled together with the answers to the questions in a friendship book, Vrienden van Overvecht. An invitation to take an honest look at Overvecht!

Based on an idea by Jetske van Oosten. In collaboration with Bibliotheek Utrecht Overvecht, Roos Polman, The Social Collective and, of course, everyone we spoke to in the neighbourhood.

The missing sheep

2026. The story of the missing sheep, Children’s Route at Texels Erfgoedmuseum Waelstee. On 26 June, the renewed Texels Erfgoedmuseum Waelstee reopened its doors. It is the place where you find stories, true or beautifully made up, about the Pielsteert, Meierblis, the Ouwe Sunderklaas festival, the reason behind the tuunwoallen (turf walls) and schapenboeten (sheep barns), the importance of having your own newspaper, and the Sommeltjes that no one has ever seen. The museum shows how the islanders guard their own identity and where they find peace. For the museum, I illustrated the Children’s Route: a treasure hunt written by Janna Lathouder, made up of seven themed seek-and-find illustrations and puzzles. My illustrations also appear in interactive games developed by Shosho.

In collaboration with Nina Schilling & Maarten Roeper (Vindprojecten), Petra Warink (graphic design), Manon Veldhuis (construction and installation), Shosho (interactive design), Waddenfonds, Leader Kop van Noord-Holland, STIFT, Cultuurfonds Noord-Holland, Texelfonds, TESO & all the museum’s volunteers.

Iranian Community KeuzeKast

2026. A drawn report of the festive opening of the Iranian KeuzeKast at Bibliotheek Utrecht: a bookcase curated by and for the Iranian community. It is one of the KeuzeKasten that reaches beyond the (Iranian) community alone, inviting people to discover, meet and connect.

In collaboration with Bibliotheek Utrecht Overvecht.

Shelter City

2026. A drawn portrait of Dima, an artist from Asia who uses her art to support the LGBTQIA+ community and explores queer Muslim identity during her time at Shelter City Amsterdam. It is a subject that remains taboo within Muslim communities around the world and in her home country. Shelter City was founded in 2012 by Justice & Peace Netherlands and has since grown into a global movement that creates safe and inspiring places for human rights defenders at risk. During a stay in a Shelter City, they get the chance to rest and recharge.

In collaboration with Shelter City & Urgent Foundation.

The patient as database

2026. Illustrations for NRC Wetenschap, accompanying “The patient as database” by Jos Mul.

Sometimes depression is caused by the neighbourhood

2024. Illustrations for NRC Leven, on the influence of people’s living environment on their mental wellbeing, written by Wouter van Noort.

Eiland Klein

2025. Eiland Klein is a personal beach walk in drawings and words. Feelings, lines and words are found in a moment of standing still, with my feet covered in sand.

Illustrated journalistic newspaper, De Saffier – jonkies and ouchies under one roof

2023. Years ago, changes in the care sector led to the closure of the Tolsteeg care home. With the growing shortage of affordable housing and rising loneliness in mind, the Municipality of Utrecht approved converting it into housing for a period of ten years. August 2015 marked the beginning of De Saffier: a residential community where elderly people, students and young starters live together. The ‘jonkies’ and the ‘ouchies’ (the young’uns and the old’uns, as they say in Utrecht dialect), under one roof. Through my drawings, I take you along and introduce you to this valuable place.

De Saffier in beeld was printed in an edition of 700 copies, subsidised by the Municipality of Utrecht.

The street where the housing market comes together

2023. On the Leusderweg in Amersfoort you will find a cross-section of the complete housing market of the Netherlands. You will find large and small, new and old, renters and homeowners. While making my way through the street I captured the different perspectives for NRC Weekend.

Newcomers

2022. An illustrated journalistic column for NRC, in which Willemijn Schilten (text) and I tell a weekly story about a ’newcomer'.