RONALD MESSEMAKER, born at the 29th of November 1969 in The Hague, drew already birds from when he was a little boy. He also provided the illustrations with little stories made by himself. During that time he regularly walked through the dunes, an environment that particularly inspires him. Messemaker managed to transform his hobby into his work. He became a forester in De Wieden, a nature reserve in the province of Overijssel. „As a child, I already wanted to be a forester and that dream has come true.”

Making drawings of birds and animals became also a part of his job. He illustrated the “Atlas of the birds of Huesca” (1998), in which his pen immortalises approximately sixty breeding birds in this Spanish province. Messemaker also obtained an assignment from the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society to provide drawings for the book “Avifauna of Hong Kong” (2001).

He admires the work of bird artists Ian Lewington, Lars Jonsson and John Gale. The birdwatcher, and twitcher, who exhibits his works on a regular base at various places in The Netherlands, is also a photographer. He spends pretty much of his spare time travelling to countries where there is an abundance of birds, such as Brazil, Poland and Rumania. In Rumania, Messemaker especially dedicates himself to preserving the last European steppe. „Because of the many trips I have made to Rumania, a close relationship with Eco-Pontia, which was established only a short time ago, has evolved. Due to presenting a determination key of the European Flora, a first step has been taken to support these protectors of nature.”