Morocco: The Red City

Our trip began with Marrakech, The Red City. Surrounded by African desert and thick red walls, Marrakech was more foreign even in the approach from the airport than I had been expecting. Because Morocco is so diverse and so close to Europe, I had begun to think before leaving that it would be more like a trip to a European country than an African one, but Marrakech quickly shattered that idea.

In a country as foreign as Morocco, it can often be difficult to break down the barrier between tourist and local: you don't want to be seen as another tourist, and they don't want to be seen as an exotic native. Being blonde and white makes me visible to every salesman from halfway across Morocco, so every person on the street is competing to try to sell something by the time I get there. It's often an overwhelming experience, and one that made us shut down a few times just from the stress of finding a restaurant.

I think that drawing on location often offers a unique experience to be able to interact with people in a different way. Because you are doing something new and exiting, people often drop their usual tourist routine and both groups let down their guard a little. While wandering around in the medina, Chris and I came upon a neighborhood that was completely residential, with not a tourist in sight, but still bustling with people. The walls of the quarter had been freshly washed with "Marrakech Red", and bright red and green flags hung from every building.

As we started to draw, people would smile as they passed, which was very reassuring in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Soon a gaggle of kids began to crowd around us, hopping up to see the drawings and asking to have each one of their portraits drawn. Some men and women came by to peek as well, and one man even shooed some of the kids away to help when he thought they were getting too boisterous. It is one of my fondest memories from Morocco because when you can engage with people on a personal level, where the differences aren't so great, it makes you feel more at home.

We stayed and drew there until sundown, under the latticed roof of the tiny maze-like alleyways, watching people and mopeds pass by, and kittens scamper down the dusty streets and across the rooftops.

Morocco: The Eid

 

I'm back from a wonderful and intense trip to Morocco, and to start off I thought I'd post some drawings I did of the preparation for the Eid al-Adha which took place this Friday (Eid Mubarak!). The Eid is a major Islamic holiday that celebrates the story of Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son to God. In response to Abraham and his son Ishmael's willingness, he gave Abraham a ram to sacrifice in his son's place, and so Muslim people sacrifice an animal for their family as a celebration and remembrance of that sacrifice.

All throughout the trip we saw little glimmers of the coming holy day's approach: On bus rides we passed shepherds tending their flocks by the side of the road and trucks full of sheep being shuttled to town, and shopkeepers were more willing to give a good price to a blonde-haired, blue-eyed tourist to get a little extra money to buy a sheep. By the time we reached Fes near the end of our trip, the preparations were in full swing.

Outside the medina, sheep grazed in a nearby stable, chomping away and stumbling into each other, oblivious to their impending fate.

 

Families came to look at the sheep, and sometimes to select one for purchase.

Then came the parade of sheep down the tiny, maze-like alleyways of the medina. Sometimes they were rolled down the streets in carts, but often men picked up the hind legs and wheelbarrow-ed unruly rams down the hill, while children laughed and pulled their tails.

It was exciting to be able to see a part of Moroccan culture that tourists are not really a part of. The Moroccan/Tourist barrier sort of broke down when people talked about the Eid, and I got more of a feeling of what people were like outside the tourist industry. Little kids were just as excited to see the sheep as I was, and sat around watching me draw in the stable. Although the traditions and symbolism are different, the energy felt very much like the approach to Christmas with people shopping for last minute gifts, picking out the perfect Christmas tree, and the buzzing excitement of the coming celebration with family.

Morocco

  

Today I leave for Morocco, and it will be three weeks of new sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. There will be a lot of drawing to come, but first here is a thumbnail I did imagining our camel ride through the Sahara.

'Till I return!

Seasons Changing

This past week we had some spectacular weather in New York, where it already started to feel like fall. I took one crisp, sunny day to go out in Central Park and look at the colors as summer comes to an end. Fall always seems to come and go so quickly, so I always feel much more at ease when I have days I can sit out and appreciate the beautiful change.

 

 

 

Governor's Island: African Film Festival Celebration

The whole scene looked like a quilt, pieced together with vibrant patterns and shapes all moving and flowing together in rhythm to the beat of the drum.

This past weekend I went with a few friends to a celebration for the African Film Festival on Governor's Island. I had never been out there before, but this was a great way to experience the beautiful island for the first time. There was tasty food, huge shady lawns, and a big African dance class with several groups of drummers and choreographers from different places in Africa.

 

Everyone was having a wonderful time letting loose.

The dancers' bodies were moving so fast, my hands could barely keep up.  

One beautiful woman had the face of a lioness, and danced pretty ferociously too.

Disney: India at Animal Kingdom

Disneyworld is great because you have access to pieces from cultures all over the world in one place. On this day in the south Asian side of Animal Kingdom, I decided to create one long drawing as a mural design, to play with the type of storytelling and weaving of patterns that Indian miniatures use. Here are a few close-ups:

A hut nestled in the forest

The gibbons on their climbing structure

A family of Indian tourists

The tiger on the nature walk and the lines of people for a ride

The beautiful jungle and river that winds its way through the park

Disneyworld: Hollywood Studios

I just got back from another wonderful drawing trip to Disneyworld in Orlando with 8 (long) days of drawing, studying, and learning. It's always nice to be able to completely reorient yourself and come back feeling exhausted, refreshed, inspired, and playful.


One of my favorite days this trip was a day at Disney Hollywood Studios (MGM) where I got to play around with a town of sunny and colorful California art deco.