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Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen,
better known as Nick, is the Featured Artist at this year’s
Kirtland Warbler Festival. He will display his famous art in the
college’s Student Center during the festival on Saturday, May
20. Nick and his wife, Robbyn, will be selling his artwork as
well as selling and signing their famous books from the Legends
of Sleeping Bear Dunes series and their personal favorites from
their The Hazel Ridge Farm series. These are true stories
written by Robbyn and illustrated by Gijsbert, sharing animal
tales from their 20-year experience of wildlife rehabilitation.
They also will be treating the
kids to two Kids’ Drawing Sessions, a mini-workshop for budding
artists. These will be conducted at their display booth in the
Student Center at 1:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. on the day of the
festival. Children of all ages are welcome. Art supplies will be
provided and the kids will go home with their own personal
drawing.
Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen is
best known as the illustrator of Michigan’s Official State
Children’s Book, “The Legend of Sleeping Bear.” His “Legend of
Mackinac Island,” released in May 1999, also received the 1999
Great Lakes Book Award in the children’s literature category. He
has recently been contracted by the publishing company Sleeping
Bear Press to create at least 15 more books.
Nick was art director for
Michigan’s state magazine, “Michigan Natural Resources
Magazine,” for 17 years, which is where he picked up his
nickname. Nick, or Mr. Nick as the kids call him, (short for
nick-name because no one could pronounce his real name) has
created a drawing program for children around his well-known
Legend series.
To find out more about Nick and
Robbyn and to find out what is happening at their Hazel Ridge
Workshop & Gallery, located in Bath, go to
http://my.voyager.net/~robbyn |
