Arjen and Jerrine Verkaik: working together
When we met in 1983 Arjen had been following his lifelong passion for sky through photography. He had started as a child with a brownie camera and had just recently (1982) mounted an exhibition at Harbourfront in Toronto. Jerrine had been working as a writer, editor and communications consultant. As a young widow she was keen to find a way of engaging passionately with life, and joining Arjen in his pursuit of the sky provided both focus and passion.
We are often asked who does the photography and who does the writing. The answer is, we both do both. Jerrine picked up photography quickly under Arjen’s tutelage and he developed his writing skills with Jerrine’s help.
We work as a team in the photography, so much so that we would be hard put to ascribe any given picture to one or the other. We share a vision and passion for our subject, so our work is a unified whole. In writing we take on separate aspects of projects, acting as sounding boards and critics for each other.
But when we chase the sky we operate as one, supporting each other in the quick action and snap decision-making that characterize chasing. And when we speak to groups large and small we engage each other in a conversational banter which brings people into our relationship with each other and our passion for the sky.
Our life together has been a challenge and an adventure. We hope it will continue to keep us on out toes as we reach for the sky.
