I have had great fun in the past years organizing educational projects which I knew nothing about; solar panel fabrication, medical and midwife training, earth bag building. I learned a lot from the experts we brought in. While I was working on these jobs, I turned over the art program to another artist, Linda Taylor, but I must say I was jealous not getting to do the thing I know most about. This year I got to play with paint. I was determined that the kids decorate their own dormitories which we built last February. They have not yet been used because the final plaster was being done after we left and then school was out. They suffered from the very heavy rains this summer but the masons we trained were able to put on a very solid new layer of mud/clay and we painted them up—all ready for the festival tomorrow.
Last week I asked all the kids to make a drawing for me and I chose the most assured to decorate with paint.
Every year, after the rains, we’ll make the necessary plaster repairs and add new paintings so each class can leave their mark.
Starting the artwork.
The giant helicopter was added by Baye who is one of the most talented hip hop dancers I have ever seen. Baye had lived in Agadez so he’d been exposed to television.
The final touch: the colorful mats of Ingal to provide shade
Beautiful work!