For Dutch-national Simone Joanne Wichers-Voss, coming to Texas in 2010 meant a complete change in her way of life, career and personal happiness.
Simone's life did not begin in cold, windy and damp Holland as she was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1960 and lived under the warm, vibrant West-African sun until she was 16. Being raised overseas is probably why world art, literature, culture, music and nature have always inspired her. Now, it is the stories and achievements of the people she interviews for the website ChisholmCountry.com – a digital magazine that she and her husband Brett Voss create – that inspire her.
As a child, creative writing had been something that came easily – she loved to play with words. Her love for creative writing re-surfaced in writing long letters to her husband to be.
Under her multi-talented husband’s mentorship and training, she became a reporter-photographer-news editor for the local newspapers. Brett taught her well as she went on to win numerous Texas Press Association awards for News Writing, News Photography, Sports Photography and Feature Writing.
As a news photographer, Simone always looks for the shot that captures the moment – the picture that says a thousand words. Her artistic side sees the lines, the ratios, the light, the colors, the depth. Sports photography, which she does for the couple’s other website BVSportsbuzz.com, is an whole other animal, needing concentration and split second timing, and excellent equipment. Simone loves to capture the athletes’ intensity as they practice the sport they love.
Before settling in beautiful Bosque County with the luxury of open spaces, exquisite Texas sunsets and warmth, she lived in the Netherlands, where she had been an office manager for an international fashion retailer for 20 years. Meridian has become Simone’s home, where she and Brett have a slew of animals, horses, dogs and cats alike. When time allows, they can be found on or in the water. And for Simone, it is never too much trouble to be creative when it comes to cooking.