tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38447401324493001982024-03-21T15:48:51.904-07:00Mauritania Art Program 2010Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-4677383378610816242011-01-05T19:13:00.000-08:002011-01-05T19:13:53.564-08:00The exhibition and the unveiling....what a great day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlCvc70c2W5fqZoUG0WbVlQ8f52XgFKVUDZ91lFPFaR13nmQ5kOFaRaiLXDp9fbjqRqwn6Yeu3hKkkCfJ-CbYI-TpSd0cNGRa1nE7mJNUrI0bok2xK1bAcdMAXUIYgj6VNDNNH4MWJUtx/s1600/DSC02888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKlCvc70c2W5fqZoUG0WbVlQ8f52XgFKVUDZ91lFPFaR13nmQ5kOFaRaiLXDp9fbjqRqwn6Yeu3hKkkCfJ-CbYI-TpSd0cNGRa1nE7mJNUrI0bok2xK1bAcdMAXUIYgj6VNDNNH4MWJUtx/s400/DSC02888.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZy5_cHjzvde7B9G5HYzLIkNN9yF5sLe6gk1EXVF43uy2OAhRmoT7CHELP5CB5rp5PqZqR6OEfVUl9b24V-G6ZQjFSRGfDpTB9buXClnqberXw9XpHaPMcYfdj3bS_Etwt8v5TYgbagbR/s1600/DSC02959.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvZy5_cHjzvde7B9G5HYzLIkNN9yF5sLe6gk1EXVF43uy2OAhRmoT7CHELP5CB5rp5PqZqR6OEfVUl9b24V-G6ZQjFSRGfDpTB9buXClnqberXw9XpHaPMcYfdj3bS_Etwt8v5TYgbagbR/s320/DSC02959.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-66187142492869495072010-11-25T15:07:00.000-08:002010-11-25T15:09:33.572-08:00Riding Camels in Chinguetti and Visiting Terjit..So I have to say I was a bit more prepared for the camel ride than I could have been. The others had been telling me all sorts of things about camels and what to avoid. Here is what they said:<br />
1. Camels make lots of noise..they are very very loud..and they complain a lot.<br />
2. Camels don't really want you on their back.<br />
3. Don't fall off the camel because it will hurt.<br />
4. They spit.<br />
5. Don't kick their sides or they will run away with you into the desert..and they don't know how find their way back.<br />
<br />
Here is what they didn't tell me:<br />
1. Their eyelashes are sooooo long and beautiful.<br />
2. Flies like them a lot.<br />
3. It takes three people to help you get on the camel.<br />
4. It is actually really tiring to ride a camel..and the saddles are not so comfy..<br />
<br />
The camel handlers and camels arrived on time at 8:30am. I have a feeling this was because the Mayor had organized the trip for us. I got on the first camel and so I got the biggest camel. I think it was meant for one of the men, but I am glad they pushed me forward. He was a lovely camel. The handler put a ring in then camel's nose in order to control him. I am not sure what would happen if the ring wasn't there..actually I think he might have hightailed it out of there. I don't feel great thinking about that aspect of the experience so I won't dwell there. I won't ramble on here either. Everyone got a camel and there was a handler for every two camels. We rode to the dunes and back. My handler was the oldest man in the group...and the chattiest. He talked the <u>entire</u> time to the other two..who threw in the occasional response..something like, "yup, we hear that", "say it again", "so true", etc. We have no idea what they were talking about because it was in Hasania. I think it was better we didn't understand it. Oh, and I had the camel who loved loved to snack on any bits he could find..so he would stop abruptly and bend down to pull dried grass from the sand. He was so funny. Of course the others thought this was very appropriate given my special love for all things crunchy and salty..<br />
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It was a good experience...although I felt a bit bad for the camels. They handlers seem to like their animals though..and my handler actually found snacks for my hungry camel. I am glad I did it, but unless I need to use them as a means of transportation somewhere specific, I will not choose to do it again.<br />
<br />
We had to leave to drive back to Nouakchott shortly after our ride ended. About two hours into our drive we decided to stop in Terjit..a very pretty spot down an extremely bumpy dirt road..It is actually an oasis.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the dirt road to Terjit//</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the people I see in the rock?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTttadE4qkFjTCiVedmum04Tw7XgSLhBuNffMQYrU33F_TQJ_u5fc-uc8GewTxwzYSqQOOgwOltMAR0Ot9ok3PlrbbNOIadkuRcCSL_o87l_1i8d5KzniZxEZLxqw3E6wFq-vsvMsurp6n/s1600/DSC02833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTttadE4qkFjTCiVedmum04Tw7XgSLhBuNffMQYrU33F_TQJ_u5fc-uc8GewTxwzYSqQOOgwOltMAR0Ot9ok3PlrbbNOIadkuRcCSL_o87l_1i8d5KzniZxEZLxqw3E6wFq-vsvMsurp6n/s400/DSC02833.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sunset..</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJmOoRcllf9YywdXb2lfeEKifqJWZfrnvko2W2KwjAoArnxJLGdH-Rfehxn04_CgkOsbZz09OkpxqzWUclrQDdAKSFxer325Kc6XGrBt_mu2IRwZYje7_pjxSxqBfwghmRo3XphqyHJ0T/s1600/DSC02883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJmOoRcllf9YywdXb2lfeEKifqJWZfrnvko2W2KwjAoArnxJLGdH-Rfehxn04_CgkOsbZz09OkpxqzWUclrQDdAKSFxer325Kc6XGrBt_mu2IRwZYje7_pjxSxqBfwghmRo3XphqyHJ0T/s640/DSC02883.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the outskirts of Nouakchott..</td></tr>
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I had to add all these sunset pictures because it was soooo beautiful to see...a perfect end to our short but memorable trip..Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-46397437465398608682010-11-23T01:41:00.000-08:002010-11-23T01:41:12.409-08:00Visiting the Ancient City of Chinguetti, the library, our hotel and the dunes..The Mayor sent us off to see the ancient city of Chinguetti. Here is a brief description from Wikipedia:<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">"The city was originally founded in 777, and by the 11th century had become a trading center for a confederation of Berber tribes known as the Sanhadja Confederation. Soon after settling Chinguetti, the Sanhadja first interacted with and eventually melded with the Almoravids who controlled an empire stretching from present-day Senegal to southern Spain. The city's stark unadorned architecture reflects the strict religious beliefs of the Almoravids, who spread the Malikite rite of Sunni Islam throughout the Western Maghrib.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">After two centuries of decline, the city was effectively re-founded in the 13th century as a fortified cross-Saharan caravan trading center connecting the Mediterranean with Sub-Saharan Africa. Although the walls of the original fortification disappeared centuries ago, many of the buildings in the old section of the city still date from this period. The city is seriously threatened by the encroaching desert; high sand dunes mark the western boundary and several houses have been abandoned to the encroaching sand.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> <style>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The indigenous Saharan architecture of older sectors of the city features reddish dry stone and mud-brick houses, featuring flat roofs timbered from palms. Many of the older houses feature hand-hewn doors cut from massive ancient acacia trees that have long disappeared from the surroundings. Many homes include courtyards or patios that crowd along narrow streets leading to the central mosque.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Notable buildings in the town include The Friday Mosque of Chinguetti, an ancient structure of dry stone featuring a square minaret capped with five ostrich egg finials; the former French Foreign Legion fortress; and a tall watertower. The old quarter of the Chinguetti is home to five important manuscript libraries of scientific and Qur'anic texts, with many dating from the later Middle Ages."</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5f2LBmnfOWBC15vPKU7HTmAmcUReolrwc1DWI9peEUqkjx_fiTK7ozb3_sjeeKx3BlBZe2aTVVxQ0REc9l_ZHtEmKPe_lwkGbsrU0IYrJmSUTiv2cIOOUTUljQTtWy16Pa0_aDikTvlbb/s1600/DSC02659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5f2LBmnfOWBC15vPKU7HTmAmcUReolrwc1DWI9peEUqkjx_fiTK7ozb3_sjeeKx3BlBZe2aTVVxQ0REc9l_ZHtEmKPe_lwkGbsrU0IYrJmSUTiv2cIOOUTUljQTtWy16Pa0_aDikTvlbb/s640/DSC02659.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mosque</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh146Z_FMff6kkp8zIDi4o96GL8-WAM7M3ydvdtDKOy-cmI9ica_qxXFzjSjEe1tF-J56tR7r3jOJcSXyd3CNSNIjDap1vJjKq2ecehy2uCESxn-olY8P8AmNxpldSnhx6ixn-AWEXCb16M/s1600/DSC02652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh146Z_FMff6kkp8zIDi4o96GL8-WAM7M3ydvdtDKOy-cmI9ica_qxXFzjSjEe1tF-J56tR7r3jOJcSXyd3CNSNIjDap1vJjKq2ecehy2uCESxn-olY8P8AmNxpldSnhx6ixn-AWEXCb16M/s400/DSC02652.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2v1cocQ3n-9StXVltap5aGqLq0X_EWolTFCCvbx49GmYTEdUsJafHMuYNGWivdn2GC8pHolLbHpdIOhAyyHpnSdHHcz4XNkR92HreuVezNUpDew2iEdrKQxvM42pTdv8rPe9Mv_j7AatV/s1600/DSC02651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2v1cocQ3n-9StXVltap5aGqLq0X_EWolTFCCvbx49GmYTEdUsJafHMuYNGWivdn2GC8pHolLbHpdIOhAyyHpnSdHHcz4XNkR92HreuVezNUpDew2iEdrKQxvM42pTdv8rPe9Mv_j7AatV/s400/DSC02651.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mayor's entrance to the city..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>First, I just have to say that besides the small town we passed along the way and Atar (a town where many stop overnight on their way to Chinguetti or to get fuel), I didn't see any other settled areas close to the main road. It was just wide open space. Amazing really, because this country is so big. Looking at the landscape as we sped along the empty road, I saw the difficulty that anyone would have just walking on that surface. It looks like someone just stomped across the whole country with a huge hammer because it is covered in sharp jagged pieces of stone and rock. The goats, camels, donkeys and sheep do very well here...and I saw herds of camels just grazing along the road. It was nice to see the animals in a more natural calmer environment than in Nouakchott..just being animals and not working or avoiding cars, people, etc. <br />
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</div>Back to Chinguetti...There are people living in the old town, although not many. Most live in the newer town surrounding it. It is amazing to think of the history...and you really can see how the desert is coming..and how one day the city might be buried. The Mayor showed us the window openings, which were basically resting on the ground...illustrating just how much damage it has already suffered.<br />
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We were the only 6 tourist in the entire town..old an new. I felt honored and grateful for what I was experiencing. Many Mauritanians have not been to visit that city. <br />
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We made our leave and it was off to our hotel..the Maure Bleu...you must go visit!!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxeUc7yWD9x0AC6CNcHePLC50I1EghL1fCNs0E2BLIpC19dAZ1ZrtWNS0_upYR6DBCFl9jVS8LmjdKbUSlpAwVsjw9fDDQ5m4Vg9p6sw5mif-kS3NSV-q3FlavR7pwoi7Ctj05mnRh9OC/s1600/DSC02668.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxeUc7yWD9x0AC6CNcHePLC50I1EghL1fCNs0E2BLIpC19dAZ1ZrtWNS0_upYR6DBCFl9jVS8LmjdKbUSlpAwVsjw9fDDQ5m4Vg9p6sw5mif-kS3NSV-q3FlavR7pwoi7Ctj05mnRh9OC/s640/DSC02668.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our host at Maure Bleu greeting Nitza</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside my room..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our accommodations..Lulu came along compliments of the Maure Bleu</td></tr>
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The rooms were clean, the food was tasty...and one could shower (hot or cold depending on the time of day..solar panel heated water). The Mayor called to have the library opened for us..you can't imagine what we saw...beautiful ancient manuscripts, handwritten Korans dating back to the middle ages..<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The door and locks to the library</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very old book on geometry</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the library courtyard </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Okay...and so...I will end this post with our visit to the dunes for sunset. We walked up to the top of one to see the most spectacular site...If you want to feel awe or just get a reality check on our place in this Universe...go stand on the top of a dune. The feeling for me was similar to standing on the edge of the ocean..I can picture myself from above...a tiny tiny, even imperceptible dot on a shoreline. Being there, I imagined the same thing...I knew I was so insignificant in that place..but still, I experienced an enormous sense of gratitude. Just thankful to be alive and for the opportunity to see such beauty. The dunes go on as far as the eye can see. Nothing disturbs the landscape..except for our presence at that moment in time..the footprints we left behind. And soon after we left, I am sure the wind and sand erased even those...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking up the dunes..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nitza on the dune..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down from the top of the dune..one side smooth, the other patterned..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof I was there...:)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So amazing to share this moment with Nitza...</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And that was the end of our wonderful day...and we went back to the Maure Bleu happy, sandy, tired and famished! The camels would come for us at 8am the next morning....oh my!</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-1691478151919965252010-11-22T06:15:00.000-08:002010-11-22T06:15:19.885-08:00Chinguetti and Terjit...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was like this for many many many miles...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't even know where to begin. First I have to thank Nitza and Chris and Joe and Masha for goingon this very short but wonderful trip to a magical place really far away from Nouakchott. It took us maybe 7 or 8 hours to get there I think. I am actually not sure exactly. But if you look on the map of Mauritania, you will see just how far we traveled. We traveled in two vehicles. Left at 6:30am in the dark. And the streets were so quiet..even the mouton and goats were still asleep. I can only describe the road as empty and flat...for quite some time until we hit some rock formations..here are some photos so you can see for yourself...</div><br />
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Nitza told me that it isn't usually this green. Amazing to think if this landscape without the little shrubs and grasses. I think we probably passed 20 cars between Nouakchott and Atar. It was all just open flat space with the occasional small building, a couple of tents, herds of camels, goats and sheep roaming about. We passed through a small town and I tried to snap some shots of it..<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEhdD9BEhN-s3rPV9TN77FLe5iveR4IN3jt5sRUk7xGkIsdBBKsIuBLn9fJ9Zm4WrYg4qasW4ssGc1i4xUFNrhRtPB8Fu1sIcFMSUJqUW4QRMN0w1SJ7hMHgscHcwyHx76xAN6SGQGAJD/s1600/DSC02602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEhdD9BEhN-s3rPV9TN77FLe5iveR4IN3jt5sRUk7xGkIsdBBKsIuBLn9fJ9Zm4WrYg4qasW4ssGc1i4xUFNrhRtPB8Fu1sIcFMSUJqUW4QRMN0w1SJ7hMHgscHcwyHx76xAN6SGQGAJD/s320/DSC02602.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWvxOK_0fZ6B7IB2EVd3BMSITfyryCUy-Qur9zk6X8PwdyXQH7uQ4Jb8pbPBlOSHhLnoKrEFw9VEgW3JZ2OF_dOb7e1Jw24PTvpiUvPHarRl5dtulCjmIJAZSorbyyXLuRU6tgU0bzXGi/s1600/DSC02604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWvxOK_0fZ6B7IB2EVd3BMSITfyryCUy-Qur9zk6X8PwdyXQH7uQ4Jb8pbPBlOSHhLnoKrEFw9VEgW3JZ2OF_dOb7e1Jw24PTvpiUvPHarRl5dtulCjmIJAZSorbyyXLuRU6tgU0bzXGi/s640/DSC02604.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboKCl4DbRluegHYPsig7ULJiRbY7ZqgaLH3v3NjJqPySyiiOML5LxFMHha8kRudW8ar39d4y1x8yH11jAvvPZxFgUlrdO5MpkLXCzfVKr6mVXn3OJRH02Ha_LtR9a74b4BFutEyVgExP1/s1600/DSC02605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboKCl4DbRluegHYPsig7ULJiRbY7ZqgaLH3v3NjJqPySyiiOML5LxFMHha8kRudW8ar39d4y1x8yH11jAvvPZxFgUlrdO5MpkLXCzfVKr6mVXn3OJRH02Ha_LtR9a74b4BFutEyVgExP1/s400/DSC02605.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The trip was fairly uneventful..no breakdowns with the car or people..here are some landscape shots of our trip..<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rYt8e5ntB8PSkRqpx7j1DHySd_kk7azh2hXeSC08Ou50p2sWe4sfSv2G5zx7HbdjO2EHVecnVyPUCGPVjyHSCbkMXFmj3zsVcMnb7GzyFrZIItEOxavntFrg1KzB-EYMEQXr42I7UnkC/s1600/DSC02617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rYt8e5ntB8PSkRqpx7j1DHySd_kk7azh2hXeSC08Ou50p2sWe4sfSv2G5zx7HbdjO2EHVecnVyPUCGPVjyHSCbkMXFmj3zsVcMnb7GzyFrZIItEOxavntFrg1KzB-EYMEQXr42I7UnkC/s400/DSC02617.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So strange how the earth doesn't soak up this water..</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7gb68vZI4VKCiRHR6I28h99RFiMMR7UmzepLHwiwCucAdvgbIvX7rePxO_MUhT64fAvs6yF1u8aHus8_4w6gq_K2XnQ7TGfqgpc8KgVoMHqpuP_ANqSoSnS6opRkRmiR1kwtPy29kg7T/s1600/DSC02621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7gb68vZI4VKCiRHR6I28h99RFiMMR7UmzepLHwiwCucAdvgbIvX7rePxO_MUhT64fAvs6yF1u8aHus8_4w6gq_K2XnQ7TGfqgpc8KgVoMHqpuP_ANqSoSnS6opRkRmiR1kwtPy29kg7T/s320/DSC02621.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAGDQj8grnkmKTPdIr6FdVJjtX82fcs5qK_OflBYOfuFQAQIDN0MWT_l-WSPFtieIqt2JXTld1kZB7NXCF96NjxdPpW3ZFAHlmr37EagODrsSu7tcvRApxH2-LrpIfFXVpzMDfiWSC6jp/s1600/DSC02626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAGDQj8grnkmKTPdIr6FdVJjtX82fcs5qK_OflBYOfuFQAQIDN0MWT_l-WSPFtieIqt2JXTld1kZB7NXCF96NjxdPpW3ZFAHlmr37EagODrsSu7tcvRApxH2-LrpIfFXVpzMDfiWSC6jp/s320/DSC02626.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZsJJWndOA34naBEZcoThylHmIi8ONC9U4uNKGh7Ae_6TR2zoEe4NveRpxgFNjATgkNtFUPFvpimiW29y-2URHgwwv_ccCw9sjmzQauCN6bVXxc4fkMXT4HzXxWAXNdiof2RShOkOqFFP/s1600/DSC02629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZsJJWndOA34naBEZcoThylHmIi8ONC9U4uNKGh7Ae_6TR2zoEe4NveRpxgFNjATgkNtFUPFvpimiW29y-2URHgwwv_ccCw9sjmzQauCN6bVXxc4fkMXT4HzXxWAXNdiof2RShOkOqFFP/s400/DSC02629.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQO4Qo4RYfcK8_PozgNsW8yAoDrkJiMM42QgCi4MWmhyphenhyphenDG9fc3BsavBqsc3qhdqKSI7y4R2ZmJHsaZRUx4YAnUHc8Ou2jrC-pgUS0dYBPHStTrP6v47RnbNtvR-6Lzp-9BsOFZfhyp1_P/s1600/DSC02631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQO4Qo4RYfcK8_PozgNsW8yAoDrkJiMM42QgCi4MWmhyphenhyphenDG9fc3BsavBqsc3qhdqKSI7y4R2ZmJHsaZRUx4YAnUHc8Ou2jrC-pgUS0dYBPHStTrP6v47RnbNtvR-6Lzp-9BsOFZfhyp1_P/s320/DSC02631.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We ran into some friends of theirs who were going to fish here..</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAO6JcF4_H_AH3ngiN5nMVJWtncXI7mgnOTpJkNsK5xuhKckkEH3aUKxpdjws80jSU2pYWUn-ylXP5xu6Ol9lDK_6eJYHZ2Qe5Oc9dN4Xn70W10R22pXWZkVMmebEC02D_B1iIPaWL1Zq6/s1600/DSC02632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAO6JcF4_H_AH3ngiN5nMVJWtncXI7mgnOTpJkNsK5xuhKckkEH3aUKxpdjws80jSU2pYWUn-ylXP5xu6Ol9lDK_6eJYHZ2Qe5Oc9dN4Xn70W10R22pXWZkVMmebEC02D_B1iIPaWL1Zq6/s400/DSC02632.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFl5a0MUfvPPYpDO-_F1bfsShMQS33IXNYmcwv0-uoWd0PYM5lQcoRnmjztgQ4_wwGp1tulpcDLDsmtWR6ngNIf4XRoa-ghlOruPWQqXjYX2EaWB0lJdOc56IU5p9ORZmIhd4bsXrs4Sz3/s1600/DSC02633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFl5a0MUfvPPYpDO-_F1bfsShMQS33IXNYmcwv0-uoWd0PYM5lQcoRnmjztgQ4_wwGp1tulpcDLDsmtWR6ngNIf4XRoa-ghlOruPWQqXjYX2EaWB0lJdOc56IU5p9ORZmIhd4bsXrs4Sz3/s320/DSC02633.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was put in charge of buying snacks..:)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRQ8InMt2zZTEoKzwX39UYsCfgcZYePb3X3gOCg-Bqvac1YqVBhJtSW1qiwg9z_RTMJCmtauuTiqFx_cmzn1u8Vasz8GSBRUIBhc-eRtqvzhCusaZTxzrvGzTJDlC3I_Lk5kjeJA4Bcrg/s1600/DSC02635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRQ8InMt2zZTEoKzwX39UYsCfgcZYePb3X3gOCg-Bqvac1YqVBhJtSW1qiwg9z_RTMJCmtauuTiqFx_cmzn1u8Vasz8GSBRUIBhc-eRtqvzhCusaZTxzrvGzTJDlC3I_Lk5kjeJA4Bcrg/s320/DSC02635.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqpXvL3zrlVjGUS9uYAJdZiTtCqK2LkxX_05FWdhudsHKJLjtl85hXnP66ILqOGvVgvJUY6bJbgbRNPT9O4ZR7an5SFOqVd3kBxHpbtmfJCgpFI9ILq3UPnBmxgW5nlqCaipHseUre_vi/s1600/DSC02640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqpXvL3zrlVjGUS9uYAJdZiTtCqK2LkxX_05FWdhudsHKJLjtl85hXnP66ILqOGvVgvJUY6bJbgbRNPT9O4ZR7an5SFOqVd3kBxHpbtmfJCgpFI9ILq3UPnBmxgW5nlqCaipHseUre_vi/s640/DSC02640.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rock formations are amazing..</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqfJLMKQeu-b27JtRLnMXewxs94SqrAWMpqpOz36Q5S_HNF7aZg_e_iclulEZiM-_tDoYYLOCOHAiIk_vkOiT2ZRzbM0W8e5Y3XeiRKJQ1NoOoF_flX32G_6KIQea3D0wYO2fV5pvSj4W/s1600/DSC02641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPqfJLMKQeu-b27JtRLnMXewxs94SqrAWMpqpOz36Q5S_HNF7aZg_e_iclulEZiM-_tDoYYLOCOHAiIk_vkOiT2ZRzbM0W8e5Y3XeiRKJQ1NoOoF_flX32G_6KIQea3D0wYO2fV5pvSj4W/s400/DSC02641.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the way into town..</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_NgaiMHHw5FVJ38LndqOLM9CsihFRlVzXLpCtL02ZfZ1eyp9pne7kyBZI0SET4kcJusmcGrFEivvSSMnGieDnrhcNigSdwjn2uisMLyhmmCbBDneoArvxA9tekfl9i0ZpODiTo6VcN1P/s1600/DSC02642.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK_NgaiMHHw5FVJ38LndqOLM9CsihFRlVzXLpCtL02ZfZ1eyp9pne7kyBZI0SET4kcJusmcGrFEivvSSMnGieDnrhcNigSdwjn2uisMLyhmmCbBDneoArvxA9tekfl9i0ZpODiTo6VcN1P/s400/DSC02642.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h59OzOVkUSRuIOlzuBdPLLwzcRRV09aSWvPWGRMrRbQS39FFwcR2Wb4Ob2ZRICd_k5fvMKOo4ipjo4j1Pz5prbMSrTCZHapfL4_h-Xa6lOJH63QfpDBMx_rMO5iIK_dMR8oNnEEHPzu1/s1600/DSC02644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2h59OzOVkUSRuIOlzuBdPLLwzcRRV09aSWvPWGRMrRbQS39FFwcR2Wb4Ob2ZRICd_k5fvMKOo4ipjo4j1Pz5prbMSrTCZHapfL4_h-Xa6lOJH63QfpDBMx_rMO5iIK_dMR8oNnEEHPzu1/s640/DSC02644.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
We all arrived in Chinguetti ready to explore what it had to offer. We were very happy to get out of the car too. Not all of the road is paved so it was quite bumpy in parts.<br />
<br />
Nitza is friends with the Mayor, and so we went directly to his house to say hello! And what did we find there in his lovely home, which was constructed using the old stones from the ancient city, a lunch prepared in our honor. I will give you one guess what we ate...it was in fact, dates and grilled mouton (mutton) and bread. We all ate and drank tea with his family. People are so wonderfully generous and warm. We discussed the lack of tourism lately in Chinguetti due to some reports about unsafe conditions for travelers. It is a shame and the city is suffering because no one is visiting these days. I highly recommend this as a destination if you find yourself in Mauritania one day. We also talked about his family, some of who live in the US. It was very comfortable and easy and we were all happy to have met him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqb_72RQTtBOnsvHuB2DRXhpjpbba7mCmBhBw99jHf2L45_2pUeHAIAtdlO2H-S-zUzXdbf5v9r9up_-rn5F6oIsPwP20zuPI_EFDzhB7c5To__yA9ca96KeYw8qa07FqdRgyM_iYndPB/s1600/DSC02647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisqb_72RQTtBOnsvHuB2DRXhpjpbba7mCmBhBw99jHf2L45_2pUeHAIAtdlO2H-S-zUzXdbf5v9r9up_-rn5F6oIsPwP20zuPI_EFDzhB7c5To__yA9ca96KeYw8qa07FqdRgyM_iYndPB/s640/DSC02647.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Mayor's house</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHZ2JarPQUvhSXGRqykBZ069Y2khNs14pzHUvMoZbgsJZTFURt_iPF8kLvrnPTXtzCgMsTyOTkDkSxOmZzxmvluCdOWJISeyh96xyOjPuFca6ewg2gNX9MSaGXhgxT9pRyYgT_z882BLE/s1600/DSC02648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHZ2JarPQUvhSXGRqykBZ069Y2khNs14pzHUvMoZbgsJZTFURt_iPF8kLvrnPTXtzCgMsTyOTkDkSxOmZzxmvluCdOWJISeyh96xyOjPuFca6ewg2gNX9MSaGXhgxT9pRyYgT_z882BLE/s400/DSC02648.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our lunch...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriMv_0RlsvAUjzbgIV24prQufIYZs5TyBSsgs5cu7GVYaNq5HkCVymeOFHFPYU-TIproeFV1nfTsw9dy7nb5CLeacVQEgL4hyT7clRLHx5SkQBzIK4bDY13NBsfd8OfKjrt7-P7pqF6YV/s1600/DSC02649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriMv_0RlsvAUjzbgIV24prQufIYZs5TyBSsgs5cu7GVYaNq5HkCVymeOFHFPYU-TIproeFV1nfTsw9dy7nb5CLeacVQEgL4hyT7clRLHx5SkQBzIK4bDY13NBsfd8OfKjrt7-P7pqF6YV/s320/DSC02649.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Masha and me..eating dates!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7n5bbk4NxGRMn9rqhhlGSN6Us8Rm2Kh1aPcJhTAMdcxiCZrhxClk-pcOzaDX5Qjr23F4HWV5tJ1K1D7jJ8hWqzezPIfGoHY4eFFEM0S9QZTbQ_-FpYuyAv-PjMV2QyPOIdL21v0i-2Di/s1600/DSC02650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7n5bbk4NxGRMn9rqhhlGSN6Us8Rm2Kh1aPcJhTAMdcxiCZrhxClk-pcOzaDX5Qjr23F4HWV5tJ1K1D7jJ8hWqzezPIfGoHY4eFFEM0S9QZTbQ_-FpYuyAv-PjMV2QyPOIdL21v0i-2Di/s640/DSC02650.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of our lunch..mouton!!!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmf9KmX8-CfklcEQ_Bn5qaFsHR4rco08vldAS0g68sCHK4gBnI_KQGYc0PUt6mXwU-CZesMz71YQGZUVInhyphenhyphenrrMqf6XmujNyvRWwuJU4VQxPTA2GdLsXGsFg9lTKf1YM88TklkFveNo322/s1600/DSC02664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmf9KmX8-CfklcEQ_Bn5qaFsHR4rco08vldAS0g68sCHK4gBnI_KQGYc0PUt6mXwU-CZesMz71YQGZUVInhyphenhyphenrrMqf6XmujNyvRWwuJU4VQxPTA2GdLsXGsFg9lTKf1YM88TklkFveNo322/s400/DSC02664.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and the Mayor of Chinguetti..</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td 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class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I will post more later..after the exhibition. We will do the unveiling of the wall at 5:30pm and the Opening of the exhibition at 6:00pm!!!! Very excited about it all....</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 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</tbody></table>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-25520758717774756722010-11-22T03:21:00.000-08:002010-11-22T03:21:12.275-08:00An answer to one of my questions...My paintings arrived about a week ago. The museum staff helped me to unwrap them and put them against the wall. Some of the artists were there and others were still arriving. One artist called me over and asked me to explain one of my paintings. Many others had already commented on the same one. Here it is so you know what I am talking about...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8KmtxXifFyVDjwEMveoKjlaqsIO_vO_W5pyKfsRXxfpHffb4iU17f0TYBRoA0xMo1nC0ecj5BWuYw4Co1XORj2w_Y-bWSfpY-InwM1Eo38qKpZH0XvZwHEyy7rpfxy79EYjeqFHCpjPT/s1600/DSC00449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8KmtxXifFyVDjwEMveoKjlaqsIO_vO_W5pyKfsRXxfpHffb4iU17f0TYBRoA0xMo1nC0ecj5BWuYw4Co1XORj2w_Y-bWSfpY-InwM1Eo38qKpZH0XvZwHEyy7rpfxy79EYjeqFHCpjPT/s400/DSC00449.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Anyway, we started talking. I thought he was going to say he didn't like it, as a couple of others had. Well, they didn't say it exactly but they were clearly uncomfortable with the image. One artist asked, why did you paint that, in this almost disturbed voice. Someone else told me that the Mauritanians would not like it at all. I am thinking it has to do with how the figure is sitting--call it a hunch. Anyway, the artist said it was actually his favorite. He asked me what it was about and yes, why I painted it. I tried my best to explain the feelings behind this painting..which have become clearer over time for me. I was searching..for answers, for clarity. It is never easy to explain a painting for me because they are so very personal.<br />
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When I paused, he said, "How did you know you wanted to become an artist? How did you know you had it in you?" I looked at him and smiled because I had been wondering the same thing about the Mauritanian artists. I didn't answer right away and so he began to tell me his story.."When I was very young and going to school, the other children practiced writing the alphabet...but I just wanted to draw people, animals, anything really. I would sit there at my place and draw and draw. As I got older, I couldn't figure out why I had this need, this desire to create, to draw things around me. I thought I was the only one in my family with this interest. It wasn't until my mother lay dying that I learned where this came from. I spent a lot of time with her during her illness. One day I was sitting there with her talking about life and our family and she stopped and pointed to the ceiling..she said: "Look up there, I see the clouds and a woman carrying a child. See the goats and the sheep that stand together?" She was seeing these things in the shapes made by spots and stains that accumulated over time. It was then I realized that I got my drawing and painting from her."<br />
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His mother was perhaps never able to explore her artistic side..most likely because at the time representational art wasn't being done, the Mauritanian culture and the fact that she was a woman. His mother gave him some understanding of where it was coming from and I think in some way, permission for him to pursue this talent. Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-87329801005045323532010-11-15T00:07:00.000-08:002010-11-15T00:07:38.348-08:00The Mural Update!!!!!!!!!Well..we are almost finished. There are only a few spots left to touch up. And just in time, because Tabaski is tomorrow and the next two days are basically holiday. By the end of today we will have our wall ready for the opening. We will unveil it on the 22nd in the park, right before the opening of the exhibition at the National Gallery. I am really very pleased with the result. 22 artists with 22 visions on one wall...well, it is already a huge accomplishment for the artists. The theme being "Cultural Diversity" seems to be quite a fitting one considering all the various backgrounds that make up our group. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJuCcCjBtutnpGmQpYOxsg7w7tpeAY4IkVR5ubqyxzPDXt3LzKqIP23UGbyvhG_VhqbP38BvUCSvAgWhHtFzaZJ5abczNioLAKKPfyIIdUG_8lhl_b9s-ZSn2tYMr2SjYW9RlnFfXZ-Ug/s1600/DSC02533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJuCcCjBtutnpGmQpYOxsg7w7tpeAY4IkVR5ubqyxzPDXt3LzKqIP23UGbyvhG_VhqbP38BvUCSvAgWhHtFzaZJ5abczNioLAKKPfyIIdUG_8lhl_b9s-ZSn2tYMr2SjYW9RlnFfXZ-Ug/s640/DSC02533.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
We have drawn quite a bit of attention from the road already. There will be a film festival on the 23rd of November in the same park, so I think many many people will have the chance to enjoy it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uGljjfoC_tXf0kp0qhIHsMiCqRK-wuSib88q4WIeMdbO8TfbbAwLC72o1eGzQ6G2QkwlwJPDv3bk_ZMYxxRER5BWtxgZuyvUsJS7YCoP-fPltYseLdFqXdfdQy2Ydp1XSn5ZhzMAnZzO/s1600/DSC02453.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uGljjfoC_tXf0kp0qhIHsMiCqRK-wuSib88q4WIeMdbO8TfbbAwLC72o1eGzQ6G2QkwlwJPDv3bk_ZMYxxRER5BWtxgZuyvUsJS7YCoP-fPltYseLdFqXdfdQy2Ydp1XSn5ZhzMAnZzO/s400/DSC02453.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Ahmed and Abass</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Px1qBKIhvp55kXSXokSAoNElsRlE8_yATpN1eS4-eH_TsFeJnzkzBE_p2PPY6539weBTgjQ3athDfJsU0vONiGDpJKGoyXDc2-Zk9mg-8tMP6b12Gs9KghD4pB0CLBSvbHYKrYTUq5NR/s1600/DSC02531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Px1qBKIhvp55kXSXokSAoNElsRlE8_yATpN1eS4-eH_TsFeJnzkzBE_p2PPY6539weBTgjQ3athDfJsU0vONiGDpJKGoyXDc2-Zk9mg-8tMP6b12Gs9KghD4pB0CLBSvbHYKrYTUq5NR/s320/DSC02531.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aicha taking a break...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrm_O643jDpuOcgB5dPW1g0eNivtqfRrmbsaW4kxITcXUDQnjfrLMVdFhoH62lQgVg3ynA6HIxoWCzImO_2skqcTJeLuIxuxXVNd5Z7h6KxknAcAuVBuOe6sEc4g7CUYiimpKeFijLQqY/s1600/DSC02439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOrm_O643jDpuOcgB5dPW1g0eNivtqfRrmbsaW4kxITcXUDQnjfrLMVdFhoH62lQgVg3ynA6HIxoWCzImO_2skqcTJeLuIxuxXVNd5Z7h6KxknAcAuVBuOe6sEc4g7CUYiimpKeFijLQqY/s400/DSC02439.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An earlier stage...working together!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-48849114225951783532010-11-14T06:49:00.000-08:002010-11-14T06:49:12.567-08:00Links to get to know the artists better...I have spent the morning watching videos of the artists that Francesca sent me. It is so great to see them work in their own spaces. I have really enjoyed learning about them this way. The workshop brings everyone together but I don't have a sense of how they work away from there..when they can just be themselves and create. Here are some links to the short films on some of artists that are in the workshop. There are a total of 22 artists, so this is only a few of them...<br />
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Mamadou Anne tells stories through is work. He also teaches other artists. He is an expressionistic painter who collages images together, divides their forms and explores the mystical and the magical. You can find many many stories within one canvas. I think he is a dedicated artist--very motivated, who works well into the early hours of the morning to find the story he wants to tell. Sometimes I would like him to show me less..let my eye rest to take in some of the more important elements in his painting. Every day he greets me in English: "Michelle, how do you feel?"<br />
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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd090j_mamadou-anne-le-conteur-d-images_creation<br />
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I have talked about Morkis a lot I think. He has taught and supported many of the younger artists. I appreciate his comments, his skills and experience, his warm personality and his easy way with people. He is also one of the most well known painters here in Mauritania. His paintings hang in the President's residence.<br />
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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd0bfd_mokhis-le-pionnier_creation<br />
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I love watching Bechir paint because he is so confident..and his confidence is not misplaced. He knows how to draw and paint. He has an intuitive way of applying paint and understands the importance of shadow and darks as well as the highlights. He has chosen to do figurative painting in the workshop but he is an abstract painter. I need to understand more about why he chooses the stylized abstract forms. I wonder what it means to him and if there is real significance in the forms or if it is simply an element of the composition. He grew up in Liberia and so..he speaks English perfectly. He brings a different experience to the workshop. <br />
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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xczwre_bechir-malum-l-homme-sans-frontiere_creation<br />
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Amy invited me to see her studio. I loved it. It is located just next to her house. I am including photos because I found it so beautiful and inviting. She has a great sense of style and aesthetic. I think she should explore sculpture or design clothes. I need to learn more about her way of painting. She does abstract painting and I have a hard time knowing what it is all about without her explanation. The film helped me a little. I think Amy could go in many directions with her art. I look forward to seeing her work in the future. <br />
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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xb2ens_amy-sow-l-art-et-la-femme_creation<br />
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Sidi-yaya is not in the workshop but he was one of the pioneers of painting in Mauritinia. I didn't realize he was also working in sculpture until I watched this film. He works at a Mauritanian school now and also part time at the American School. I am not sure how much time he has left for doing his own work. It is amazing to hear him talk about how it was in the beginning and how it is now. He stresses that most young artists do not have formal training. I see this in the younger artists. <br />
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd0h0b_sidi-yahya-le-poete-des-traces_creation<br />
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The less experienced want to soak up as much as possible...learn more about technique. I would love to stay and provide that opportunity for them..to learn more about the importance of drawing from observation and a strong composition. It can only help improve their work. As an artist, I always feel like I am searching for more. Finding one's voice is so crucial in making art, but that voice has to be able to change, move, grow, evolve...whatever you want want to call it.<br />
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We will finish the mural in the next three hours I think. I will post a picture of it even if we do not finish. It has been a very exciting project. The U.S. Ambassador will unveil it on the 22nd of November right before the opening of the exhibit. It will be a great occasion. Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-70866668070174336682010-11-09T16:35:00.000-08:002010-11-09T16:35:53.178-08:00The Mural Project...There is so much I could say about this project of painting the mural. I am going to focus on the technical this evening. My next blog will be more about my thoughts and reactions to the past 10 days here working with the artists. <br />
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We last left off when the two groups had completed their drawings and we were in the process of discussing ways to transfer them to the big wall. It wasn't surprising they came up with two different methods of doing this. The morning group made hundreds of tiny holes following the outline of the drawing. They then taped the drawing to the wall and took a dye powder and rubbed it into the holes. When the drawing was removed, they had a dotted line to follow that they then filled in with pencil. The afternoon group emptied packets of dye on the back of the drawing, taped it to the wall and retraced their lines to create the drawing. They, too, filled in with pencil to make it more visible. Here are some pictures...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8zoP1auw0xupA9_Q7Eprhz4MgHKB_PyB4LtJATn1qj8vSkESz3vxyMhdYxQHjTzRcL_H1QM3LCrWv605TmDO0cRUP0GgHUTGpiWVN_o2Ed9_rniKHucXnlCUMOxF0z8oH-YN633lSSBf/s1600/DSC02367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8zoP1auw0xupA9_Q7Eprhz4MgHKB_PyB4LtJATn1qj8vSkESz3vxyMhdYxQHjTzRcL_H1QM3LCrWv605TmDO0cRUP0GgHUTGpiWVN_o2Ed9_rniKHucXnlCUMOxF0z8oH-YN633lSSBf/s400/DSC02367.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning group making holes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurwQjtYwNaNQwVZDr52utAClcRVfP2IGzz15lIpncfBNcckHCEu5V9KCh8AwRDuEx7V594CnKUGkJ7u-Fx8kJXcVPjZa9VsPT2AFfRIqmKFv4DuRPBa71TnXG2umYShdHW2aqbC6dzcvC/s1600/DSC02371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhurwQjtYwNaNQwVZDr52utAClcRVfP2IGzz15lIpncfBNcckHCEu5V9KCh8AwRDuEx7V594CnKUGkJ7u-Fx8kJXcVPjZa9VsPT2AFfRIqmKFv4DuRPBa71TnXG2umYShdHW2aqbC6dzcvC/s320/DSC02371.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon group spreading dye.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvRn-FcMdSPGBF85qkp3Cu7kDLL3JKM5jfG1l_TRSKD_ixlQ76KojVsGzlKdqdTSQpykFBYBI5UYTg3J6guVeN9G7zv6Jnswtb2_2MJoMlBYBCWACajwnRmkE9Z9BdFeKfE6fASU8eaBg/s1600/DSC02384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvRn-FcMdSPGBF85qkp3Cu7kDLL3JKM5jfG1l_TRSKD_ixlQ76KojVsGzlKdqdTSQpykFBYBI5UYTg3J6guVeN9G7zv6Jnswtb2_2MJoMlBYBCWACajwnRmkE9Z9BdFeKfE6fASU8eaBg/s320/DSC02384.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stamping the dye through the holes to transfer the drawing to the wall.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SbUHpmX_O_KxnYHTJR5Ng-BDee84qg-Ag3eCqoDm7YKuIHV7LGR8bIYGeBZvNgt859y7oJFE01jvB3wBSx_v62FKyhkUkURjanMuCtz5WQYKGI1bUn0srs0rmUlYVdKv8QzSUWIg_nRe/s1600/DSC02385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0SbUHpmX_O_KxnYHTJR5Ng-BDee84qg-Ag3eCqoDm7YKuIHV7LGR8bIYGeBZvNgt859y7oJFE01jvB3wBSx_v62FKyhkUkURjanMuCtz5WQYKGI1bUn0srs0rmUlYVdKv8QzSUWIg_nRe/s400/DSC02385.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0m2NW8GDaoldtyddIgkLRMo5Vzlb9m5VNYeIKMmgq6G51Fzqu91aA_2D9xwxsn1iSTS4qS47un-PdPC95SNMqPfLOAVe0kBd-LzsjjzJINHfTFMotzh8gzq7z3jY4Szu5h6oebtDRkluH/s1600/DSC02377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0m2NW8GDaoldtyddIgkLRMo5Vzlb9m5VNYeIKMmgq6G51Fzqu91aA_2D9xwxsn1iSTS4qS47un-PdPC95SNMqPfLOAVe0kBd-LzsjjzJINHfTFMotzh8gzq7z3jY4Szu5h6oebtDRkluH/s400/DSC02377.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tracing their lines to transfer the drawing to the wall. </td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjpErOhulfiNzZ1Y_TzHOCOynnVbMvWN-CgdiFbfy9rHS3pEgU_XuJEYpYV8H-D8h2i5ABCbXLRjQHJZsMmkdUHKS0-qhiI98bImBWOsbRDSTzeHLD8Hr8-Bi-BXa5qo0Qt8bpCFQ38GR/s1600/DSC02375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTjpErOhulfiNzZ1Y_TzHOCOynnVbMvWN-CgdiFbfy9rHS3pEgU_XuJEYpYV8H-D8h2i5ABCbXLRjQHJZsMmkdUHKS0-qhiI98bImBWOsbRDSTzeHLD8Hr8-Bi-BXa5qo0Qt8bpCFQ38GR/s320/DSC02375.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We also had to prep our paint by mixing colorant into a mixture of diluted glue and white house paint. This took some time, but this is how they make several different colors from the primary colors we purchased. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdGwRaO6PZkN-yjk81_JYpqrN9svM188DpmuPBQuaf6ssYswcBw4kLcpsjHvIWuSRY_CeYaoDzWEseDmFmKKCfeXLl7qRS8gcSYGVvxviVVt4hwPmJI9vZYw5mhHYBCCjxRPAPH-4dNzr/s1600/DSC02388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdGwRaO6PZkN-yjk81_JYpqrN9svM188DpmuPBQuaf6ssYswcBw4kLcpsjHvIWuSRY_CeYaoDzWEseDmFmKKCfeXLl7qRS8gcSYGVvxviVVt4hwPmJI9vZYw5mhHYBCCjxRPAPH-4dNzr/s320/DSC02388.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So..are you dying to see the work..the wall with paint..their progress? I know you are wondering how this all worked out..how they worked together on the wall and the results of their efforts thus far. I am reminded very often by certain artists how this workshop is already very successful because the artists are engaged, they continue to show up every day at their scheduled time and they work hard. I am also reminded that this working on one thing together..collectively...is very new. Painting a mural together is new. And I see how people are getting used to communicating better with each other. I have also been encouraging this more and more--almost insisting that it happen. For a mural project, it is better to plan a bit where the colors are going for harmony, balance, etc. I found the first group is very good at this...they might not agree with each other all the time, but they discuss. Yes, because I ask them to discuss, but so what..it is all new to them and I think they see the benefits of their conversations. I am not sure I care that I am orchestrating it..I just like it that it is happening. The afternoon group seems to not want to discuss anything but instead attack the wall and react later. They are actually a day ahead of the other group. Today they accomplished a lot, but many comments were made to me and not to the person working on a specific area. They feel more comfortable with me critiquing than themselves. This is my point of view. I could be reading it completely wrong. I have more to say on communication in this workshop, but I will leave it for another time. I want to post our progress. So here are the two groups working and their progress as of the end of today.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning Group</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqC7hvjKh_1mn-cfoX0q6CONM899ZcUa9NxkGQHXfQXwXRVKktuSLpHC43BnpxkwTMS6bonSfhJn1WBZCCugTGcTn5A6L6OMMP_xu7zsYNll5OUCOaNbGHJjIM3E7PrdzUlOtWBhloif_Z/s1600/DSC02407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqC7hvjKh_1mn-cfoX0q6CONM899ZcUa9NxkGQHXfQXwXRVKktuSLpHC43BnpxkwTMS6bonSfhJn1WBZCCugTGcTn5A6L6OMMP_xu7zsYNll5OUCOaNbGHJjIM3E7PrdzUlOtWBhloif_Z/s640/DSC02407.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning Group after one day. This is 2 meters by 5 meters.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVoctZbpfzlOkTWrrbMRlnFT9ZfnfaYdITI0P3tP4FHsa75hch4rcNWmDWrUN7GrtJOnN8aQ67uvLBBMSsBqtGppzF-uY2tdI_dksgAJTli7E7okAiUeLTaEAODPWUgZ_D93vHyAWBN6A/s1600/DSC02426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVoctZbpfzlOkTWrrbMRlnFT9ZfnfaYdITI0P3tP4FHsa75hch4rcNWmDWrUN7GrtJOnN8aQ67uvLBBMSsBqtGppzF-uY2tdI_dksgAJTli7E7okAiUeLTaEAODPWUgZ_D93vHyAWBN6A/s400/DSC02426.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon Group on their second day.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xCCGE9faLLjGSL5RuL3E33iNxj51_96Az2lhxRTP-Clele5L8LVTdhH_wxh-iORTCGwqrb4cF2uXASMks8KvE-yN3Asl0eNHsVRMcIEA4RBKU8L4LUiSB0gqNCC1psdZGjs170inPi8e/s1600/DSC02430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xCCGE9faLLjGSL5RuL3E33iNxj51_96Az2lhxRTP-Clele5L8LVTdhH_wxh-iORTCGwqrb4cF2uXASMks8KvE-yN3Asl0eNHsVRMcIEA4RBKU8L4LUiSB0gqNCC1psdZGjs170inPi8e/s640/DSC02430.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both sides as they are currently. The artists decided to make one big mural instead of two. 2 meters by 10 meters.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">What do you think so far? I am interesting to hear from you a bit now...</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-49644297097844302202010-11-06T16:02:00.000-07:002010-11-06T16:02:09.365-07:00Art lesson at a public school..I arrived just before 8am this morning at a Mauritanian public school. It is their day of rest (our Sunday) before the work week starts tomorrow. The children were slow to arrive in the beginning but then before we knew it we had the 20 students we planned for and a few more! Here is the outside of the school. Kane and Ami came with me.<br />
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The room was very simple if not sparse. There were places to sit and write and there was a blackboard as well. I found Arabic written on the board in the room we were using. <br />
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I decided to teach them about crayons and watercolor. I demonstrated how the crayon resists the watercolors and how patterns and details show up when color is applied carefully to the paper. If they loved the idea of this, they did not show any indication. I was completely at a loss as to whether they even liked the idea of it. I tried to have a conversation with them to spark ideas in their head about imagery and how to use the materials to convey their ideas. The question I posed was: "Since I have just arrived in Mauritania, what are some things you could tell me about that are unique to Mauritania?" What do people eat, wear, do? Where do they live? Do people all live in the same kind of house? What does the desert look like?" And so on. Puuuuuuuuuuulllllllllllllling teeth! I finally realized this kind of "conversation" doesn't happen here. Just like with the artists, the students aren't used to giving their opinion so freely They can give a right answer, but the whole idea of sharing a thought is more foreign to them. So, I started asking the children for an answer. I specifically called on them to answer...and then it started to flow. Phew!!!! They got going quickly after we had enough ideas out there. They worked very quietly and carefully. The students did get the concept and when they started their second piece, I could see they applied what they learned from the first sheet of paper. I was happy with the results even if their skill level wasn't what it could be with more instruction. <br />
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It was only when I was about to leave that they all came out of their shell and started to talk to me, hold my hand, take pictures with me and with their art. They were very happy we left the materials with them..as you might be able to imagine. We also took a group photo..which everyone LOVED!!!! I am not sure why they all look so serious in the photo though..few smiles. The white t-shirts are compliments of the US Embassy..their flag and ours...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4lV42ta3hOWirwiBfauYKq2OF1BkNJS6SKZnu5hvkOSZxAObbLDpYz482o6Ir5cxZo-B5AJ4FR5_YPdUgSoxA46YEME1BSRb_7k7pqzFMg09CcpuhBb1aWJ8w2u5Z5KqFvpspmxKnn2R/s1600/DSC02355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4lV42ta3hOWirwiBfauYKq2OF1BkNJS6SKZnu5hvkOSZxAObbLDpYz482o6Ir5cxZo-B5AJ4FR5_YPdUgSoxA46YEME1BSRb_7k7pqzFMg09CcpuhBb1aWJ8w2u5Z5KqFvpspmxKnn2R/s640/DSC02355.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-53723726055515703352010-11-05T16:32:00.000-07:002010-11-05T16:35:14.862-07:00Trip to the market..<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><style>
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is Friday today..which means, it is the weekend! I didn’t go to the workshop this morning. Instead, I went to Moroccan market here in Nouakchott to buy vegetables and fruits for the week. I went with Zeina, who knows the market very well. We took a taxi there…and lived to tell the tale..I will leave my description of driving or riding here for another blog. It really deserves it own page. I can’t wait to film my commute to the museum every day. Back to this morning…I always feel at ease in food markets. I love going and seeing hundreds of piles of vegetables and thousands of bags with the tiniest amount of a spice or ingredient used in the daily preparations of a particular dish. It is a common place for people to gather too. Although here, I don’t know if everyone shops or if they have their housekeepers shop. It is a quiet day for market on Fridays because people are relaxing on their day off. Zeina showed me where the trucks come in to drop their goods. She told me it was a short drive from Morocco to Nouakchott, Mauritania…only three days or so. As we walked towards the main building, we passed the Malian market. I knew it was Malian immediately because of the smells..the incense they make mixed in with tamarind and this kind of homemade soap in a ball. There is a market in Dakar that sells the exact same items. We walked into the inside market and it was really quite large. Big..with lots of stands and produce everywhere. The flies were fierce, although they were much worse outside at the fruit stands. I am pretty sure some traveled home with us. We walked around the market and Zeina asked for prices. I liked listening for the change in language while she negotiated…first the local Arabic, then into Woloff and back to Arabic and a little French too. I asked what certain words meant so I can add them to my collection of market vocabulary. So funny I can tell you how to say tomato, peppers, parsley and carrots in Moroccan Arabic but I can’t say I am going to the market to buy vegetables.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Here are some pictures of the market. I will use these images in my paintings probably. I am always so taken with the colors, forms, the way peoples' bodies move to accomplish their tasks at hand...weighing, counting, bagging, bending, reaching, etc.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Hu7ttjrb1uFWWRJZQnf63Hle5k7t-J9C0Uhrwn8dd1mpFiOdaBzMhZzRK1jZIqExNyOAU8cAxX8RN_4NH2D9Y7SM68KqgIEB26zA9mpFsZJH-3Tzq2q2gwtwakskWcRZEvDx0wG60O2i/s1600/DSC02283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Hu7ttjrb1uFWWRJZQnf63Hle5k7t-J9C0Uhrwn8dd1mpFiOdaBzMhZzRK1jZIqExNyOAU8cAxX8RN_4NH2D9Y7SM68KqgIEB26zA9mpFsZJH-3Tzq2q2gwtwakskWcRZEvDx0wG60O2i/s640/DSC02283.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeina buying vegetables</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-52038275148932054272010-11-04T13:56:00.001-07:002010-11-04T14:08:43.591-07:00A question for the artists...<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The question I am asking myself tonight is...In a country where in the past it wasn't acceptable for artists to paint figuratively because of the religion, how did this group actually find their passion or their voice? How did they know they had to create and what made them decide to become artists? I will ask them soon...stay tuned. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh and by the way, I am wondering what makes me want to paint as well..why do I need to? Here are some silly photos of us relaxing..pretending we are the next still-life. I like these moments.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmqaZ_Q-uiXAXjzvSzRKQXCcmu2f4136eCJICuGeUCdhse5Ps-59yUl7ciceCV5DH-9zJIXTe7wZfkp2obhXII1Lk9kgntf_J8xB8ZTOWqOuuIqC2SLZHe_hlH0uNaLHmmzQWXFmCgIUa/s1600/DSC02275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmqaZ_Q-uiXAXjzvSzRKQXCcmu2f4136eCJICuGeUCdhse5Ps-59yUl7ciceCV5DH-9zJIXTe7wZfkp2obhXII1Lk9kgntf_J8xB8ZTOWqOuuIqC2SLZHe_hlH0uNaLHmmzQWXFmCgIUa/s320/DSC02275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_mawMlOF5f-EiMYKPauj8vGMnEkvqlVrIg2FCaM9diCSNPOGT7ce3ASzPdW8rQ6BRKFBA4QEjAeObrSp0-K32Exop921HabGn9nIv8EHtHZRsGP7AWjkb9fzwRjQApbKa7SRgfnlK03h/s1600/DSC02273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_mawMlOF5f-EiMYKPauj8vGMnEkvqlVrIg2FCaM9diCSNPOGT7ce3ASzPdW8rQ6BRKFBA4QEjAeObrSp0-K32Exop921HabGn9nIv8EHtHZRsGP7AWjkb9fzwRjQApbKa7SRgfnlK03h/s320/DSC02273.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-15042768437194440232010-11-04T13:47:00.000-07:002010-11-04T13:47:03.832-07:00And so the paintings begin...<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">First let me say that the morning group did not disappoint when it came to creating their drawing for the mural. They were a lot more hesitant that I expected they would be. They did come around after I pushed them a bit. I have heard quite a few times from observers and from the artists themselves, that working as a collective has not happened before this. I have to remember this as we move forward with the project. It is only normal that the artists might be a little shy at first. The funny thing is, after three hours of drawing on this 2 meters by 5 meters paper, they understood the importance of communication..and then they absolutely did NOT hold back. Mamadou Ann told Ridiaw that his drawing of a fisherman looked like a "Chinois" (Chinese person). Everyone laughed. They are beginning to share ideas, help others realize their visions...and even actually say when something is not working and offer a solution. Maurice (who's name is really Morkis) told me today that this exercise is extremely important for their development. He is a very experienced painter and his paintings are in the President's residence here in Mauritania. An ally to me..he sees the merit in my observational drawing exercises. So here is the mural and the last exercise that we did..a figure drawing! Francesca, an Italian anthropology student writing her thesis on Artists in Mauritania, modeled for us. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTVSVfs_LUlBG45BtiuF4wMn-Qt0PFYnYnmKPItNhJerH3Aa6qGb2ZADPwkL5qIBcp4N5Sl204nSHZKdrjkN6BGETpjDP8AhZl0Kv0UDS7IdEODkVnhdcHJ3DHo1sew-I1ZvYbNuXNs95/s1600/DSC02265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyTVSVfs_LUlBG45BtiuF4wMn-Qt0PFYnYnmKPItNhJerH3Aa6qGb2ZADPwkL5qIBcp4N5Sl204nSHZKdrjkN6BGETpjDP8AhZl0Kv0UDS7IdEODkVnhdcHJ3DHo1sew-I1ZvYbNuXNs95/s640/DSC02265.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mohamed Sidi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEbJIooykiR1O-ExedyM0TMLMy-cl0Lk4ZmxHSk6ihNGmJgPnR-Lu6xoKiLjBA79tKqXFMRv43Xv_Uny9QG0jqPMxdxTwrf1Ue3ChMSmHibrIh6zrmrSphKJUsrgqIuy3H5wweLc4alQj/s1600/DSC02266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEbJIooykiR1O-ExedyM0TMLMy-cl0Lk4ZmxHSk6ihNGmJgPnR-Lu6xoKiLjBA79tKqXFMRv43Xv_Uny9QG0jqPMxdxTwrf1Ue3ChMSmHibrIh6zrmrSphKJUsrgqIuy3H5wweLc4alQj/s320/DSC02266.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dali</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4Gi2uXGiIOvXmysRqq1KCFlTYwfwoDwID5TnItF55mvwtas_LDYmeWingU3jlWLC18zDUtTaIfqbfOCY5NjGtvvFcoBdQvtKOHbRdhQzvhXscAvQmG08SHBApqqqQu9uoUwtcX3U6hY-/s1600/DSC02267.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge4Gi2uXGiIOvXmysRqq1KCFlTYwfwoDwID5TnItF55mvwtas_LDYmeWingU3jlWLC18zDUtTaIfqbfOCY5NjGtvvFcoBdQvtKOHbRdhQzvhXscAvQmG08SHBApqqqQu9uoUwtcX3U6hY-/s320/DSC02267.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamadi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3IKPXr1DGNIgxmnSCUeKUX33-f1-wdd65tCWf1gMIXmki1nH_dDhX4KjNmWC3m8lG6_Ni3PvbcTH7mMh2RVKVphGrIqe2L8A6g6ywzSvGN-Cg-XQfVOEe_rRozIYJfQD63cX9XHu945k/s1600/DSC02268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3IKPXr1DGNIgxmnSCUeKUX33-f1-wdd65tCWf1gMIXmki1nH_dDhX4KjNmWC3m8lG6_Ni3PvbcTH7mMh2RVKVphGrIqe2L8A6g6ywzSvGN-Cg-XQfVOEe_rRozIYJfQD63cX9XHu945k/s640/DSC02268.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morkis</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXevlcAOIsWQa1QN99psIZv3_0tfFhNOJ_w3oarDMspveBal3k3sVY47FhgsycXEbQN05UqU1RC8Y1VVksvbkoyrAiuICR3T2ImO1IphPFyGtd4MsgIKnxP77ZrSbSEDReoTs2B1KY6kKp/s1600/DSC02269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXevlcAOIsWQa1QN99psIZv3_0tfFhNOJ_w3oarDMspveBal3k3sVY47FhgsycXEbQN05UqU1RC8Y1VVksvbkoyrAiuICR3T2ImO1IphPFyGtd4MsgIKnxP77ZrSbSEDReoTs2B1KY6kKp/s640/DSC02269.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahmed, Aicha and Amal</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawR_C2RsZdgvJbsZQ5k8I4PuzIDMeHKCnSxaxz3_50FoKhCFo66d5IJrr6qcLIbgt86blfdE5xituXjZyQVsg5r8h6nQOwca4HpdX-Jpqh1bvggwxgDssOgYDw90TNoHnaCg07-4Kv-jC/s1600/DSC02271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawR_C2RsZdgvJbsZQ5k8I4PuzIDMeHKCnSxaxz3_50FoKhCFo66d5IJrr6qcLIbgt86blfdE5xituXjZyQVsg5r8h6nQOwca4HpdX-Jpqh1bvggwxgDssOgYDw90TNoHnaCg07-4Kv-jC/s320/DSC02271.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bechir</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-34606263821298854612010-11-02T16:52:00.000-07:002010-11-02T16:52:10.560-07:00The work continues...<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I probably should take a night off..I did the other night but I wanted to share the progress made today by the afternoon class. I think we have turned a corner today regarding our mural project and the overall feeling of working as a group. We had 4 people identified as the leaders for this endeavor. They were reluctant to start on the huge 2 meters by 5 meters paper we had taped to the wall, but basically I made them start by reminding them that they were chosen by their peers. In this group the feeling was that all voices should be heard. And so, they allowed each artist to contribute an element of their drawing to the big composition. I stepped in from time to time, and pointed out trouble areas...especially in the beginning when the 4 "leaders" drew the largest drawings EVER across the paper. Funny. Until someone pointed out that they needed to save space for other drawings. But you know..there was a lot of laughing and working and zinging and it was great...I watched the dy<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">namic change before my very eyes...and it was very </span>unexpected. They knew each other before..and they exhibit a lot together but the difference is they are relaxing in front of me...and with me. This is a wonderful feeling. I am including the drawing on paper for the mural from the afternoon group. Tomorrow the morning group will do the same thing...but I know the result will be completely different. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_CktHVkxZy_SVSw9JGPHi2cNOYr8FoWjogAPi3g6hGEbwasHjyTIYZvxHY2R3_LOjAiSpAjnrRyPHgplVcWsbuquUSkBH1ih3_RniCmvCyufH3m3umEWQmWvf6Uu8sG9suhUV-kDp5SM/s1600/DSC02252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_CktHVkxZy_SVSw9JGPHi2cNOYr8FoWjogAPi3g6hGEbwasHjyTIYZvxHY2R3_LOjAiSpAjnrRyPHgplVcWsbuquUSkBH1ih3_RniCmvCyufH3m3umEWQmWvf6Uu8sG9suhUV-kDp5SM/s640/DSC02252.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkUDYkhY99G12lQW2UJU17WXpqSnXDL-INw9rkmkeNWMU790Zhztf3U2BLSmo8wTQDBAiYBZDUdTWWg8EIXAE2Ns4P8Vd-3aueytSLySiDRX3C-hR0rNuRrz27uPP92jXaIQ_Gcgphvvr/s1600/DSC02243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkUDYkhY99G12lQW2UJU17WXpqSnXDL-INw9rkmkeNWMU790Zhztf3U2BLSmo8wTQDBAiYBZDUdTWWg8EIXAE2Ns4P8Vd-3aueytSLySiDRX3C-hR0rNuRrz27uPP92jXaIQ_Gcgphvvr/s400/DSC02243.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> I love this picture of Bechir (in front), Hamadi (on the bottom) and Amal (in the back).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio86i_4ObHA0AaCayPYkD6Ta2ZWebzeTWFEjoNJ4xfDQXWabaJ_DgYzt4OpG7w3ssxJ2iOaRLo4NTxC_FgwSGbaR9l_jxpmb0ZRuXf6bD3Z9USpD9eAUpRi2d2fc5Q5OjbedSgl16Pj9vM/s1600/DSC02241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio86i_4ObHA0AaCayPYkD6Ta2ZWebzeTWFEjoNJ4xfDQXWabaJ_DgYzt4OpG7w3ssxJ2iOaRLo4NTxC_FgwSGbaR9l_jxpmb0ZRuXf6bD3Z9USpD9eAUpRi2d2fc5Q5OjbedSgl16Pj9vM/s320/DSC02241.JPG" width="320" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"> Ahmed is a very talented artist. He is unable to speak but almost everyone </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;">communicates with him by using sign language or gesturing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ge5_mQ7avl9VHTsHZl3ZE4-5uOAXOXPq4vGaDQGQfeo1uUOIEGD2o2gWNbqqCE8-fOI5E37aCze2UisFYUA5sfRuIdWUTmpWqv360Q2bt_EK0ZZbrgCkiDs_qF18S1HViQ-hPTLKFIs5/s1600/DSC02250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ge5_mQ7avl9VHTsHZl3ZE4-5uOAXOXPq4vGaDQGQfeo1uUOIEGD2o2gWNbqqCE8-fOI5E37aCze2UisFYUA5sfRuIdWUTmpWqv360Q2bt_EK0ZZbrgCkiDs_qF18S1HViQ-hPTLKFIs5/s320/DSC02250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Thats all for tonight...more tomorrow..I am tired and must go to sleep...Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-45656230438737059062010-11-01T16:36:00.000-07:002010-11-01T16:43:03.796-07:00First two days in the workshop....<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oooooooh my! I am soooo thrilled and sooooo excited about this experience. I am also very tired tonight. This was my second day for the workshop. I have to say that it is going very well. The artists all seem very appreciative of the drawing exercises we are doing. Yesterday I asked them to draw this still-life that I set up with Mauritanian objects from the museum. We talked about the elements of a good composition and I reminded them of things to remember like scale, perspective..observing and drawing what they see only...overlapping..etc. There is a range in the groups and there is a difference between the two groups..the morning and the afternoon sessions. The morning is mostly Afro-Mauritanian and the afternoon is mostly Moors. The artists chose what session worked better for them. I don't know if this was intentional. I did notice though this coincidence. I am a bit disappointed that they turned out to be not so diverse...and it is kind of ironic that our theme for both murals is "Cultural Diversity"..although I haven't pointed this out to them yet. I don't feel bad writing about it because it is evident by looking at the two groups....here are the group photos in front of their future murals. Hmmm. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6m3NOe341Pb3qSctCNK90D2mesa97VrJpiiUHy9TyAWMZAbQAsFwQLkoWXFc4Q8B6qZxBn0GQclwy4Zj-71YhhNLqZM7BK1yWXJaB7ctf36sEsyFQwIt0cV4SPo4dKNEk1rv_z6-Ld-Ir/s400/DSC02213.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning Group</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6m3NOe341Pb3qSctCNK90D2mesa97VrJpiiUHy9TyAWMZAbQAsFwQLkoWXFc4Q8B6qZxBn0GQclwy4Zj-71YhhNLqZM7BK1yWXJaB7ctf36sEsyFQwIt0cV4SPo4dKNEk1rv_z6-Ld-Ir/s1600/DSC02213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuRFam5jCR0f85B5QsUV5MxrcaoYdxCc1A5RL6O-6VeThZRtPRSjoY4fYLLXlM85kWtLaHzFoI3XYq-PcJtQU6njDhUoQMH8p9P9sdoWVGexhL9jdU0qipzcd-Q-V8aNF3BicWCa8cMv_/s400/DSC02220.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon Group</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuRFam5jCR0f85B5QsUV5MxrcaoYdxCc1A5RL6O-6VeThZRtPRSjoY4fYLLXlM85kWtLaHzFoI3XYq-PcJtQU6njDhUoQMH8p9P9sdoWVGexhL9jdU0qipzcd-Q-V8aNF3BicWCa8cMv_/s1600/DSC02220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Getting ahead of myself..so, for the second lesson..I revisited the still-life..and asked them to choose only three objects to include from the same set up as yesterday. I explained that many chose to include the whole still-life yesterday but that I was asking them to take a closer look..to explore what happens when they concentrate on three objects and FILL the page (which I keep slipping and calling plage--beach, lol). Anyway, during the morning session's critique, they all said, "Yesterday we did things one way, thought a certain way..and now we see differently now that we have drawn these...we are already different artists. We have already improved. You have opened our eyes." And I have included below the first lesson...and the second lesson for you to see. It wasn't to change their style..it was to have them consider some different elements when they are drawing compositions..that perhaps they will think about these things in their paintings. That something could go off the page..or that negative and positive shapes became equally important. The appreciation for the exercise was more subtle or slight in the second group but I know it was still there. Here are some photos of the difference between days..</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAN6XvuVc1hJfebm95lLe8oPZMR9T0bDsDe6uEHIdlI4oVOQw6SPF1169r_VgjQckZfg4nAtJU-KL20i_ukcT1YPDkCZ36l16v8zpEyZvHLpoL0XmPfo6VOBu8JjP6MlQD4MKQOXL1iy-6/s320/DSC02205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAN6XvuVc1hJfebm95lLe8oPZMR9T0bDsDe6uEHIdlI4oVOQw6SPF1169r_VgjQckZfg4nAtJU-KL20i_ukcT1YPDkCZ36l16v8zpEyZvHLpoL0XmPfo6VOBu8JjP6MlQD4MKQOXL1iy-6/s1600/DSC02205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF93B3TqGh0Va4U7pzhYEg8JvW7c20g55WU4mw-TU1WTFLUa3M0jo3j1f7U37_5KOfzI2V_RgjAiM-YCjd1Beh6bADWjjC2DrGxYP62Zbjyuu1whVYKqdrNiOHI9rZjAzeIDF1dnC0vtH-/s400/DSC02202.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF93B3TqGh0Va4U7pzhYEg8JvW7c20g55WU4mw-TU1WTFLUa3M0jo3j1f7U37_5KOfzI2V_RgjAiM-YCjd1Beh6bADWjjC2DrGxYP62Zbjyuu1whVYKqdrNiOHI9rZjAzeIDF1dnC0vtH-/s1600/DSC02202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFBWmSIotG7V1s-vF3AMrt9nGc2_OC8MEezivCUDwep5LEOUYZq0Ah_nT0xJnufAkGYJMLzQzC_vv5OW9REF85OpaiFuKhijoEFmJAIdmTRxZO_QgzybYxicjwCXpBfE-HEm0LjYMLwJI/s1600/DSC02200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFBWmSIotG7V1s-vF3AMrt9nGc2_OC8MEezivCUDwep5LEOUYZq0Ah_nT0xJnufAkGYJMLzQzC_vv5OW9REF85OpaiFuKhijoEFmJAIdmTRxZO_QgzybYxicjwCXpBfE-HEm0LjYMLwJI/s320/DSC02200.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Day</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj723Q5lHbziLhrlBEiRCZ2Hfcl5nfSHopSxoTZzK1fimVespcR98JG5UPphlhNixqRSqfIAQNKVIxwTSIhFfAnbTVMhaSQdqBUoi1bw_tZpPaRq3CD0LpCWUtntrOoLS5dQsDi_Jk9oA9B/s1600/DSC02207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivkktWopfZmBowoL5nqJdeASfWKK_9GsJcxp735EsFsqdOTe_TxF-wDLtSBryj8HmxCadBhJrjrkhKX-fyhdY8_vAyCzA5055qSjOOOQUQY413WSKs3o5KiHuVXZaFqMmMByTugHubjN-D/s1600/DSC02208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvUwcBCUSmayymqKvaiWKc6kV1grTPSXaadNY27bXw0tpzqevUIvQZvWQX2AiRk_iQ1vtchE4AwdFpR5E-czGCm3K08_fVi-resNFL6G0ZrquXdSxy5U9Zjrr1jtgK-u9uo_i8Fm-xirh/s400/DSC02209.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvUwcBCUSmayymqKvaiWKc6kV1grTPSXaadNY27bXw0tpzqevUIvQZvWQX2AiRk_iQ1vtchE4AwdFpR5E-czGCm3K08_fVi-resNFL6G0ZrquXdSxy5U9Zjrr1jtgK-u9uo_i8Fm-xirh/s1600/DSC02209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The two groups also embraced the mural differently. The first group can find a collective voice more easily..they listen to my questions and to each others' answers..and then decide as a group. The second group seems to prefer having me tell them what I want or what to do, instead of them having to speak up and decide or to discuss options. Alpha exclaimed, after I had been begging them for input..."Ohhh la democracie...on n'est pas habitue!" (Democracy, we are not used to it!) Or after I asked them a question about HOW they were going to choose the imagery from each person's sketches for the mural, they said, "Michelle you give it a try and then we will tell you what we think". I gracefully declined that disaster waiting to happen..Better yet, after I said perhaps since they were having a hard time figuring out the answer to that question, why not choose two or three people to start that process for the group..and they said, "Michelle, you choose the three people." I declined, this time not so gracefully--I may have sighed loudly. Finally...and I mean finally, Dali (yup, same as the artist) said, " I pick, Bechir, Khaled and Maurice." My picks in my head--wow! And I asked if everyone was okay with it..and lo and behold, NO...someone had an opinion! What?! We were missing a female voice. Okay voila Aicha! Now everyone finally accepted. The thing is..they all actually have very strong opinions but Alpha was probably being a bit serious about his comment, they aren't used to discussing things in that manner. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Btw..the wall will take three days to prep..there will be concrete added to create a smooth surface. That might work with our drawing schedule. We haven't even begun the paintings for the exhibition. We will prime canvases tomorrow. There is a lot to do!!!!!!!! </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I look forward to seeing more of the city. I have asked some of the artists if they will take me around so I can see it. I hope that happens. Everyone is so warm and wonderful. They are very supportive of the program and I truly appreciate it. I would also love to leave the city and go exploring..not sure this will happen. I have to find others to travel with first. </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have eaten more Senegalese influenced dishes than Mauritanian. Someone said, we are desert people, we don't have time to cook sauce--we have to pack up that tent and go! But you know what..it was actually somewhat believable...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bMJ84KFlTn96WfzFBLFPEGEVak1pGUPEpJIeUW5fV1K6KDzokr7q5khl7T9aydNvCBYSFTPfXiLlt6Av-2rSdM8i5rIGrsqsBoajtqEXrdMFN1MMzSx-AmHSuho6yjjZg4VBVmj6dr3I/s640/DSC02183.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bMJ84KFlTn96WfzFBLFPEGEVak1pGUPEpJIeUW5fV1K6KDzokr7q5khl7T9aydNvCBYSFTPfXiLlt6Av-2rSdM8i5rIGrsqsBoajtqEXrdMFN1MMzSx-AmHSuho6yjjZg4VBVmj6dr3I/s1600/DSC02183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-57440429170801955612010-10-30T15:32:00.000-07:002010-10-30T15:43:09.029-07:00Pre-workshop meeting with the artists...<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><style>
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">First let me say...I apologize for misspelling Nouakchott on the last posting! LOL..it was late? Buy that? Hope so.. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The morning was spent bringing the materials to the studio. I had Hamanine, Kane (two guys from the Embassy) and Alpha helping me organize the room. Jamie was there too. Alpha works at the museum. When he came out to greet us he said, "Bonjour"…and I replied, "Bonjour"…and then he replied: "Ca fait long temps que tu n’as pas parler le francais, n’est-ce pas” (Its been a long time since you spoke French, right?). I immediately knew this guy was going to give me a hard time. Alpha is a zinger..a real zinger. And I told him..”Oh I see how it is, you are starting with me already!” Alpha is pretty funny. He is actually going to take the workshop as well. The meeting with the artist was soooooooooo interesting. I am learning so much in a very short period of time. I can’t lie, I was nervous. The artists trickled in..most fairly late arrivals. The first being Amal, a Moroccan born woman---one of two women — who is teaching art to children ages 5-15. She was very nice and open and I look forward to getting to know her better. Then, the men started arriving. There are many artists from Senegal and Mauritania and many who have traveled quite a bit in Europe and had several expositions. The population of the workshop reflects the population in Mauritantia..there are Moors/Berbers and Afro-Mauritanians. I have to learn more about the history here, not an easy one to be sure and the tension was actually felt today by me even though I was unaware of all of the underlying complexities. I am intrigued. I think it is in my best interest to learn more. What I did learn from the meeting was..some of the names, some of their material preferences and what they are hoping to get out of the workshop. The most useful piece of information I got was from observation...I now know who the leaders are in the group. Most of these artists belong to an association of artists. Some are actually the mentors of others in the group. I am excited and nervous by the obvious experience of some of these artists..I am going to learn sooooo much. That was the theme today, by the way...that this is exchange of ideas..sharing of experience..and that we all have our own voices. I hope I find mine tomorrow when I give the very first exercise....</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Here are some photos from today..the studio..more tomorrow for those..and a short visit to the beach at sunset..Where are the people, you ask? How amazing does this look to you? It took my breath away to sit and watch the sun go down..and of course I smiled at all the beach dogs that flopped around with each other on the sand...</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></div>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-4392123669916606772010-10-29T16:46:00.000-07:002010-10-29T16:49:29.483-07:00Arrival and First Day in Nouackchott<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I arrived last night on time and with ALL my luggage...all three suitcases and two boxes!!! Some of you might not understand the significance of this but many of you know I am cursed with arriving in many African countries without my luggage. So this was certainly a happy first moment.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I must mention here before I go on that before I left, a very dear friend of mine reminded me of one of my most favorite reoccurring experiences...In most places I travel in Africa, upon arrival one must exit the plane, immediately walk down steep metal steps and walk across the tarmac to the terminal. Well, there is this moment of sheer joy that comes over me as I feel the humid warm air hit my face and the complex smells consume my nose..it is a feeling of "coming home". Those exact words spoken by my friend..express the sentiment perfectly. Mauritania didn't disappoint, I walked out into the air, breathed deeply and smiled joyfully. I am very happy to be here.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Now back to my arrival..I was greeted by Jamie, the Cultural Affairs Officer at the US Embassy. He is a new arrival here. He has been great and very welcoming. He dropped me off at Chris and Nitza's house and Chris was there to meet me. Nitza is still in Washington but will be coming back soon. For those of you who don't know, I know them from Washington. I will be staying in their rather large home for the time I am here. Nitza has definitely added her aesthetic to the place..and it is filled with Mauritanian paintings, boxes, carpets, leather pillows, teapots, etc. Yes yes, I know Christmas is right around the corner...already noted, my friends. Anyway, a very nice home indeed. Chris took me out around 10:30pm for a late dinner and then it was off to bed for me. I was exhausted.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">This morning Jamie and I met with Abdelrakhman.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> He had great energy…great ideas and is into film.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> We visited this space that he “manages” which has been turned into an expo area of sorts.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> It is located across the street from the National Museum.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> He showed us the remnants of the last exposition that had different installations explaining anything from composting to how to make furniture from the blue plastic bag (that litters many landscapes in Africa) and sand to a mural illustrating how the ocean threatens the dunes around Nouakchott.</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><style>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He also gave us options for where we might decide to paint our own mural----it will be completed just in time for a big exhibition there celebrating 50 Years of Independence.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> It is also there that I had my first tiya—the 3 glasses of mint tea---although, I think we were only served two...it was enough in that heat.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> That is for another blog entirely…because I am completely curious about the whole process.</span><span style="font-size: small;">.I think it will be a topic to paint for sure. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> The visit was great and I am so excited to discuss the mural project with the artists on Sunday.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I think it will be an interesting project to get so many voices into one space and have it work well visually.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I can’t wait to start!</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In the afternoon, we went on a tour of the city.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I was most taken by two things..one, just how close to the city dunes form and two, the fish market and beach.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> We visited late afternoon when the boats were returning with their catch.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I am always in awe of the strength it takes to move one of those boats.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The beach was crowded..and many squashed fish were strewn about the sand, keeping us all on our toes---literally.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> It was a fun outing.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Check out my photos!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">Tomorrow we are bringing all the art supplies to the museum to set up the space to work.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I will also meet with the artists and Ami, the woman who has been coordinating this program with the Embassy and the artists.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> They have requested I meet with them prior to the start of the workshop.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I have no idea what we will talk about tomorrow but I will be happy to meet them.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> It is starting to feel real..this art workshop.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> I am anxious to begin so that the butterflies will go away.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Perhaps tomorrow will calm my nerves.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Inshallah..</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I promise I will not write this blog like I am reporting every minute of my day.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Sorry these are a little stiff…I am hoping they will get better </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></div><br />
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</div>Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3844740132449300198.post-10794914370157351472010-10-28T05:35:00.000-07:002010-10-29T06:44:38.458-07:00Waiting in Paris..Almost there!!!!!!!! I have actually managed to get myself to Paris. I am now waiting for my plane to Nouakchott. I have three huge suitcases and two boxes full of art materials checked all the way through and I just pray they all arrive untouched. Don't ask why I am carrying it all there. I am actually not sure of the reason myself. But hey, its all part of the experience. I know this trip is going to be allllll about flexibility and adapting quickly. We even had to have someone (Chris and Nitza) drive to Dakar, Senegal to purchase paint...a lot of paint. You see, oil paint was not available in Mauritania. Amazing how resourceful one can be though. I do plan on finding local materials to use during this month, out of curiosity but also because it will be an interesting part of the experience to learn what materials artists are using there.<br />
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So..I feel..very excited. I also feel a bit nervous..but I know that as soon as I arrive everything will start to feel right. I am no stranger to West Africa, but Mauritania is completely new to me. Since I haven't explained exactly what I will be doing there, here is a short description of the program: To celebrate 50 years of friendship between the U.S. and Mauritania through an art program that brings together Mauritanian artists and..me! I will lead drawing and painting workshops for two and a half weeks with 10 artists in the morning and 10 in the afternoon. Three hours for each group. At the end, we will all put up the show and exhibit our work together at the National Museum. We will have an opening to celebrate. Also during the four weeks, we will paint a mural somewhere in the city. And..I believe there will be a day to visit a Mauritanian school and do a project there as well. Lots to do this month...I look forward to sharing my thoughts, pictures of the city, desert, people, artists, etc. with all of you. I love Africa...and I feel truly blessed to have this wonderful opportunity. And thank you in advance for your patience because I am a brand new blogger..I will post when I get there! bye for now..Michelle Cavalcantihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08312485088932183086noreply@blogger.com1