First things first. What’s the background story?

My name is Kristel Steenbergen, born in a small fishing village on the coast of Kenya. We moved a lot as a family due to my father’s work (medical profession), exploring and adjusting to different countries and cultures mostly within Africa but also in Asia and America. 

What do you do?

I do what I have been doing for as a long as I can remember, I visualize stories with drawings. Whether that be for a brand, an article in a magazine, storybook, packaging or a mural. The result aims to grab the attention, make one stop to look and see what it’s all about.

. I like to think that my illustrations are an invitation for getting to know more.

What inspires you?

The experiences living in different countries around the world, especially within Africa have been strong influences in my work. I have a deep-rooted love for nature and the animal kingdom, not only their appearances but also their behavior, emotion, survival skills and why they do what they do to adapt to a constantly changing environment.

Why do you do what you do?

As an illustrator my goal is to visualize stories or messages (simple or complex), making them inviting for all audiences to connect with.

In every drawing I include elements of nature. It is my way of showing its beauty and how we as humans are so closely connected to it. 

I want to illustrate that this connection needs respect and care to keep it strong. Now more than ever.

What animal(s) would you compare yourself to?

I have the height of a giraffe, the loyalty of a labrador and the grace of a monkey…

Clients

CLUSE, Moxy Amsterdam, ROKU, Amsterdam Street Art, ELLE, Moxy Plymouth, MAX & MOORE, Moxy Berlin, Ten Cate, Bataviastad, Expedia, Danio, Park Plaza Hotel Group, Het Nationaal Comité 4 en 5 mei, Harper's Bazaar, Esquire NL, LINDAmeiden, Lucille Werner Foundation, MODMOD, Holland Herald, Feyenoord Magazine, National Geographic, Parool, VPRO gids, VRIJ nelderland, Volkskrant magazine, l'Offiel Homme, Elsevier, Cosmoplolitan, FLAIR, VIVA, Margriet, Cosmogirl