Guinea Sketchbook / Part Three

Here are the third group of sketchbook images from my trip last February.
(see Part One and Part Two )

First a map of Conakry, the capital of Guinea, where we spent most of our time.
It doesn't show the incredible density of life that fills this narrow peninsula.

You can see that the house we were staying in was RIGHT NEXT to the airport.
The landing of the big Air France plane each afternoon was something you noticed !
And the new house that Pam and Mimo are having built was along the mangrove waters.
We walked over there often to assess the progress.

Some days we drove into the center of the city to shop, visit friends, and change money.
We traveled along the main Autoroute. Life lined this road fully
and surprised me each time with what was encountered . . .
what was offered through the car windows as we passed by . . .
what struck my eye as unique, or odd, or poignant . . .

The pressure to perform well - in dance class - in the sketchbook - is with me.
I carry it inside and suffer with it.
In this slowed down world of low accomplishment and daily circular tasks,
my worries stand out, tied to this effort. Yet I feel myself drifting - all effort futile. . .
Sitting now with the sadness - and toughness - and beauty of this Guinea world.

On the last day I make watercolor cards and write notes in French to the family, friends,
and teachers I have connected with here.

We have one more dance class and it isn't about perfection - just joy and appreciation and love.
I hand out the cards to everyone and we cry and laugh and sit together, looking out.
While everyone rests before lunch I go out back and paint the big palm tree in the yard.
I'm feeling loose and bold and relaxed.

Here it is - the core strong - the fronds dancing - moving - alive.

On the way to the airport we pass small clusters of people - men, women, children -
just sitting together quietly - looking out . . .

And here we are - the Guinea women - all of us !

Mariama            Djeli Kany         me        Mayeni     Mary    Djeli Guinee     Pam        Dorothy

Guinea Sketchbook / Part Two

A lot of our time was spent within the compound walls
(see Guinea Sketchbook / Part One ).
Our dance classes happened there, friends came to us,
and political unrest in the city kept us sequestered some days . . .

When we did venture out in the car I carried a small notepad with me
to catch the images passing by as we hurtled along,
searching for moments of interest. . . surprise. . .  beauty . . .

Later I'd redraw the images in my larger sketchbook and add some color.
Although this allowed lots of harvesting "on the fly" I missed the directness
of the sketchbook capture and felt a bit tight and careful in the re-drawing process.

Here are the pages created from our day trip inland to Kindia Falls
with the names of the villages we passed weaving through . . .

After three hours on the road we arrived at the Falls - a cool, fresh and quiet place . . .
I felt rejuvenated by the hugeness of it all - the long cascade of water -
the butterflies flitting around . . .
I sat right down and dove into a large sketchbook double spread .
(click on the image to enlarge)

I picked up a big beautiful leaf as we walked away,
carrying it carefully on my lap in the car all the way back.

We drove to the Palais des Peuples the next morning
and sat for four hours through an endless series of speeches.
It was the Coalition de les Femmes et Filles de Guinee pour
Dialogue et Conciliation de la Paix et Development -
a thousand women gathered to raise their voices in response
to the political deadlock in the country.

It was very warm in the auditorium.

We had come to hear our teacher, Djeli Guinee, sing to the crowd.
Turned out she was last on the program !

I passed the hours collecting the headscarf creations all around me . . .

Feeling both the beauty and the discomfort of this place -
stretching my soul . . .

Part Three of the story coming soon . . .