Maaike Bernstrom was raised by the water in Stonington CT, where she learned to sail, a lifelong love that eventually brought her to the College of Charleston and the varsity sailing team. After college, Maaike worked on boats, settled in Newport RI and became gallery manager for acclaimed travel/lifestyle photographer Alexander " Sandy" Nesbitt. Maaike also studied with,and worked in the gallery of, Newport -based yacht photographer Onne Van Der Wal. For several years, Maaike lived in Valencia, Spain, where her husband, Erik, was project manager for Future Fibres, a high-tech, composite rigging company in the yachting world. Today, Maaike and Erik, and their two dogs reside in Middletown RI, where Erik continues as a project manager for Future Fibres and Maaike photographs, gardens and does floral designs.
Life. Love. Laughter. That in a word or three, captures Maaike's photographic style.