camping in kenya
bushy bushy = lesson learned, dont start an enormous mural with no plan on a time limit
This piece of metal was supposed to be a temporary windshield for the camp kitchen but thought we would make a feature out of it. Esme the owner loves giraffes so the deal was done.
For 3 weeks I was enrolled as an aunty to the kindest, wildest and wonderful family of Vicky, Robin and Ayana. Our mode of transport was all 4 of us on one bike. They have been travelling the world for 11 years (Aya for 3). Such inspiring people who really shifted my perspective and gave me countless tips and ideas. I have a feeling our paths with cross again
Me and I were 2 peas in a pod. same mental age as i am an overgrown toddler. we would do drawing and painting together and always playing and messing around. i made her a bottle when she left so she could remember me. she is free as free can be, she put her waterproof onesie on then it started to pour heavy monsoon pour and she danced out there for half an hour.
Living in a tent for 3 weeks, on arriving at arcadia in the night time after 15 hours on various transports and spending 2 hours getting a tour of mombassa from my bus mate. i arried at arcaida in the dark. the first thing that hit me on arrival was the noise, there is a pond on the property home to what sounds like a billion frogs, chiming all through the night. some sunrise, its the insects that are the most vocal. the land of arcadia is so fertile, big fat millipedes were everywhere you put your feet, all sorts of diverse species of butterfly over your shoulder. and many spiders. When i first arrived i was slightly scared, I’m not that into creepy crawlings. but over the 3 weeks a new found respect for nature came in. this is their home, we are invading their home. we did a tour of the grounds learning about different species of trees from the previous owners groundsman. his father was a natural doctor, so he knew all the medical uses for the plant - “you take the root of this tree and boil it and it cures ___, but do not eat the leaves, they are poisonous”. I was fascinated by how people even came to find these things out. endless fatal experimenting or do they come to you in visions from ancestors? nothing is written down.
another thing that really sparked my love of ature was the visit to the gede ruins. the most magical place where nature has taken over, enourmous trees growing on market places where people used to live. the international spot that was this place, transient place and hubub of international activity. now a peaceful natural place. boabab trees i became obsessed, their symbolism and healing properties. how people used these trees as shrines to talk to their ancestors and how the british stole their ancestoral poles for museums in the UK but made it unable for kenyans to connect with their ancestors via it. i can only imagine the devesation and helplessness.
This new respect for nature i wanted to convey on a huuuge mural ovdr the camp bathrooms. i didnt do any prelimary drawing as my chest was puffed out after my giraffes that i was proud of. and s, yes, i decdided to wing a ___ m mural with no plan and one week until i have to leave, what could go wrong? everything, and i turned into a stressball which didnt help matters. it was a flop but im including this as it was a huge learning experience for me. Always start ever work with beginners mind, and do at least a vague plan. work out the hard stuff on paper not on a huuge scale using up supplies.
due to using up my last week in kenya looking at this corrigated iron wall and beng stressed out my mind, i couldnt deliver my presents of upcycled paint cas to my man omar on the beach. i met him one day outside saltys on the beach and bought a coconut from him, he said he was part of the ocean sole business that clean up the beaches of plastic and make stuff into art. he was talking about his plans to rebuild the mangrves as so may had been removed for building deelopments of hotels etc and it was affecting the banks of kilifi and erosion. he was really interesting guy and he was delighted when i told him i was an artist. i said i’d make somoething for his mangrove nursery, so i used my old paint cans ad turned them into flower pots for him.
“oops” paint is a big thing in america- paint mixed to the wrong colour specifications and rejected by customers are then put on sale price for repurchase. and it seems i brought this to kilifi. i asked to see discounted paints, they took me into the warehouse and shelves and shelves of rejected paint stood there. i suggetsed they resale at sale price. next time i come in, they are all on the shop floor.