about

Photos by Tim Meijer

Hello, I'm Renée van den Kerkhof, and I visualise what matters.

I am an active member of the Dutch Labour Party, enjoy games where you build things, wear dresses with patterns on them, make bad puns, am not very tall, like (vegetarian) sushi, would rather drink an icetea than wine. Together with my boyfriend, I try to raise a dog. In vain.

1991 born in Susteren (province of Limburg, the Netherlands)
2009 graduated from grammar school
Trevianum Scholengroep in Sittard
2012 bachelor Literary Sciences
    University of Leiden
    Internship at Leiden University Press
2015 bachelor Design
    major Illustration
    AKV|St.Joost in Breda
Internship at Funk-e Animations in Rotterdam
Since September 2016 I work as a courtroom sketch artist for several Dutch media outlets.

Visit my LinkedIn for a more elaborate curriculum vitae.

I work everywhere in the Netherlands; going on a trip for a beautiful job is no problem. International clients are welcome as well! The materials I work with vary from project to project; sometimes analogue, sometimes digital (or both) techniques.

Affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce (since 2014), the BNO (Beroepsorganisatie Nederlandse Ontwerpers, Dutch Association of Designers), the NVJ (Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten, Dutch Association of Journalists) and Pictoright.

A selection of my clients and customers: PvdA (Dutch labour party), de SER, Talpa, het Algemeen Dagblad, De Volkskrant, RTL, Omroep Brabant, ANP, Nu.nl, FNV, Het Financieele Dagblad, Leergeld Nederland, TNO, De Vonk, UNHCR, Kompass, Wageningen University&Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, TU Delft, de HAN, VELT | Samen eco-actief, Stichting Homeplan, Museum Teylers, Museum Rotterdam, NVVE, Gemeente Rotterdam, Gemeente Kapelle, Gemeente Breda.

I plant trees for every client each year and also 5% of every sold painting goes towards planting trees. Since 2018 I've donated for 132 trees.

Society and durability

In Dutch we have a word called "beeldvorming", which not only means the literal creation of images, that people can see, but also the process in which somebody formulates an opinion in her or his head. That is something I like to contribute to. Everything I make is figurative and applicable. With this, I like to contribute to society by making interesting subjects and terrains accessibly or by denouncing issues in a fun way. As a creator of images you decide who people see and experience something, and that can be of use by inviting the audience to think of where we as inhabitants of this world want to be in let's say twenty or a hundred years.

I prefer working for companies and organisation that operate in the heart of society and want to contribute to that society. I am also always looking for new options to make my own business and its processes greener.

Topics that matter to me personally are: a decent justice system, a high voter turnout, a fair labour market, inclusion, social democracy and equality.

Books and politics

My most important activities are in the cultural field, but I was always fortunate to have had a broad education and I have also always had many interests.

Literary Sciences as a study was fine and very interesting, but after graduating from my bachelor, I didn't continue with a relevant master. In those years, I never stopped drawing (something I have been doing since I was very little - not that I'm very tall now, but still). I realised I didn't just want to analyse text but make images as well. Perhaps I'll find a good way to combine these two one day.

I'm also very active socially, for example politically. I dare to think along about making bold statements and follow current events. This way, I know how my way around policies and current problems and know how to adapt to certain events rapidly.

Expos & Talks

17 - 25 October 2020: Re-Value, virtual expo with Driving Dutch Design on the Dutch Design Week

28 September - 24 November 2019: Inktspot, travelling expo with the drawings from the Inktspot Reward longlist. At the Central Libraries of The Hague and Amsterdam, and the Limburgs Museum in Venlo, and other places

3 - 20 September 2019: exhibition 75 Years of Freedom, at the Library in Uden

10 September 2019: In Living Memory, talk about Vergeet de vrijheid niet during Past:Forward, conference by Erfgoed Brabant

14 February 2019: lecture 'Starting your own illustration business' at the art academy in Breda

25 September 2018: Pechakucha about courtroom drawing, at Pier 15 in Breda

6 - 15 July 2018: Torenkamer Expo, at VondelCS in Amsterdam

30 March - 1 April 2018: Beach ball art expo, at Paaspop in Schijndel

11 December 2016 - 1 February 2017: Strips! goes Inktober 2016 at Strips! museum in Rotterdam

2 - 6 July 2016: Ga Terug Naar Start at AKV|St.Joost in Breda

28 - 29 March 2015: Nachtcultuur at Bibliotheek Het Groene Hart in Woerden

28 - 30 October 2014: LEVEL UP at Electron in Breda

3 - 7 September 2014: BUT Film Festival at Nieuwe Veste in Breda

27 March 2014: Morabeza: de ongrijpbare Kaapverdiaanse identiteit at Kriterion in Rotterdam

24 January 2014: De vrouw die de honden eten gaf at Uitgeverij De Geus in Breda

24 April - 30 May 2013: Wedstrijd Koningspaar at Gemeentehuis in Echt

22 - 24 March 2013: Ontmoet me at Electron in Breda

14 October - 4 November 2011: Echt-Susteren in Beeld at Gemeentehuis in Echt