Couple creates children’s books, haven for wildlife
Conservationist artists to exhibit at Manchester University, offer children’s workshops
Gijsbert and Robbyn van Frankenhuyzen have lived on their 40-acre farm in Bath, Mich., since the fall of 1980. What began as a sheep farm with corn, soy and hay fields was slowly transformed into a wildlife refuge.
The van Frankenhuyzen family dug ponds, planted thousands of trees and created natural prairies to maintain the balance of many different ecosystems. Along the way, the property became a safe haven for orphaned and injured wild animals they nurtured back to health.
Teaming up to write and illustrate children’s books, Robbyn and Gijsbert share their love for nature in their art and their words. They also go out into the world, speaking about the value of journaling, the joy of drawing and the importance of protecting our natural world.
“Nature through Art: The Art & Stories of the van Frankenhuyzens” will be on display from Aug. 1 to Nov. 1, in the Cordier Auditorium Lobby Gallery, located on the North Manchester campus of Manchester University.
Hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 3 p.m. Sundays when MU classes are in session. Admission is free. For gallery information, contact Ejenobo Oke, director of galleries, at 260-982-5334 or eroke@manchester.edu.
Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen, a widely respected book illustrator best known for his work on The Legend of Sleeping Bear, and his wife Robbyn, a writer and storyteller, will offer workshops for Manchester Elementary School students on Sept. 25 and 26.
On Friday, Sept. 27, students attending the seventh annual Walk Into My Future event at Manchester University will visit the exhibit. The walk, put on by the Wabash County YMCA as part of the Wabash County Promise, brings student
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Manchester University, with campuses in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers more than 70 areas of academic study to more than 1,400 students in undergraduate programs,a Master of Accountancy, a Master of Science in pharmacogenomics, a Master of Athletic Training a four-year professional Doctor of Pharmacy degree and a four-year dual degree in pharmacy and pharmacogenomics. Learn more about the private, northern Indiana school at www.manchester.edu.
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Manchester University respects the infinite worth of every individual and graduates persons of ability and conviction who draw upon their education and faith to lead principled, productive, and compassionate lives that improve the human condition.
July 2019