“ For me, making travel sketches is to note the space around me. By sketching I have more contact with the surroundings. I sit, watch and sketch. By sketching I look better, I see more and I feel connected with the place. Usually I’m literally on the floor and feel the earth. To me, the sketches are quick notes that I garnered in my memory and I both consciously and unconsciously use during the design as an architect.”  

By sketching you discover things which you don’t see when photographing. By sketching you open up to people and the surroundings and you see things better. You learn sketching by practicing. By noticing situations with a sketch, you learn to watch and remember. While sketching, colors, textures and proportions are analyzed. Copying the surroundings by making a sketch is an honest way of looking. The experiences increases.  Everything you sketch you remember and serves as a ready knowledge in the design process.
The First solo exhibition ‘ African Impressions’  was on display at Villa Paulowna in The Hague from the 28^th of October until the 1st of December 2011. Jeanne Dekkers showed impressions of her travels through Mali by various paintings and sketches.
The duo exhibition of Jeanne and Toine Dekkers ‘ Light on Travel’ took place for the 4^th until the 27^th of November 2011 in the ‘Terpchurch’ at Urmond. Both have traveled in Africa and are showing their sketches and visual material in this joint exhibition.