My story is one of many meetings

I was born Wouter Frederik Goedkoop from a Swedish mother and a Dutch father. I grew up in three different countries, from the lands below sea level to the heights of the Swiss Alps. In my journeys, I was lucky enough to meet a great many wonderful people including my wife which is how I eventually settled in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Fantasy, storytelling and art have always been part of my life, all from an early age. Being a child of the seventies allowed me to discover video games in their infancy. By the early eighties I had discovered other types of entertainment that would only reaffirm my interest in storytelling. I read many Fighting Fantasy and other You are the Hero books while discovering pen and paper role playing games with my friends. Dungeons and Dragons, the Dark Eye and Call of Cthulhu were my introduction to tabletop adventuring. At the time, I also developed a healthy passion for the art of film. Blade Runner introduced me to the works of Syd Mead which eventually led me to pursue studies in industrial and graphic design.

After college and with a design degree in hand, I spent over 20 years helping people, companies and organizations connect with their audience in meaningful ways by telling relevant and impactful stories. As I see it, nothing is black and white. It's all about finding the right amounts of each ingredient to make the sauce tastes just right. Ideas can be generated organically, bubbling in a slow simmering concoction; or they can be gathered and assembled like building blocks to create a cohesive whole. Either way, you need the right elements and a good foundation.

With this in mind, I realized that I needed a place to create compelling and original artwork, centred around the stories we share together. I wanted to use my expertise and experience in graphic design, my skills as an illustrator and my passion for storytelling to create something meaningful to me but mostly to others.

The Voyager’s Workshop is this place and it is here to provide adventurers of all walks of life with items that celebrate their passion for storytelling. By offering a unique proposition – one that is not tied to a specific product or franchise – I aim to  promote the joys and positive benefits of gaming, storytelling and sharing this with others.

So, what are we waiting for? It's time for an adventure!