Marjolein Bastin is a Dutch nature artist, illustrator, and author whose work has inspired millions to rediscover the quiet beauty of the natural world. Born in 1943 in Loenen aan de Vecht, the Netherlands, she showed an early fascination with nature—collecting feathers, seeds, and stones, and sketching what she saw. That childhood wonder became the foundation of a lifelong artistic pursuit rooted in attentiveness and reverence for life’s smallest details.

She studied at the Academy of Arts in Arnhem, where she refined her technique and met her husband, Gaston Bastin, who would later become her business partner and advocate. After graduation, she began her career in advertising and illustration but soon found her voice in fine art and publishing. Her watercolor paintings—delicate, precise, and full of light—captured the subtleties of birds, flowers, and woodland scenes with an authenticity that felt deeply personal.

Bastin’s career took off when she began contributing to the Dutch women’s magazine Libelle. Her illustrated feature quickly became a reader favorite, establishing her as one of the Netherlands’ most beloved artists. This relationship would continue for decades, allowing her to blend art and storytelling in ways that felt both intimate and universal. In her pieces, she often includes handwritten notes and small observations, drawing viewers into her private encounters with nature.

Her character Vera the Mouse emerged in the 1980s as a tender extension of her artistic world. Through Vera’s adventures, Bastin brought her love for the natural world to children, emphasizing kindness, curiosity, and the joy of discovery. The stories found success in books, television, and merchandise, adding another dimension to her creative legacy.

International recognition followed through her long partnership with Hallmark, which introduced her work to audiences around the world through greeting cards, calendars, and home décor. Her relationship with Wild Wings, a premier publisher of wildlife art, helped bring her fine art prints and nature scenes into collectors’ homes, where her paintings continue to evoke calm, nostalgia, and appreciation for the living world.

Bastin divides her time among several homes—in the Netherlands, Missouri, Switzerland, and the Cayman Islands—each location offering a unique palette of colors, species, and light. These changing landscapes continually renew her artistic inspiration. She often remarks that wherever she goes, she takes her sketchbook, ready to capture the fleeting details that most people overlook.

Today, Marjolein Bastin stands as one of the most cherished nature artists of her generation. Her work is not merely decorative—it’s an invitation to slow down and notice the delicate rhythm of life all around us. Through her paintings, books, and collaborations, she has created a world where art and nature meet in quiet harmony, reminding viewers that beauty often lives in the smallest things.