Still Life and Powder Paint

This week ten of KS2’s art enthusiasts had the pleasure of taking part in an Art Fair in Nairobi.

The journey started at 1:30pm on Tuesday with us all excited and buckled in ready for our adventure. We played eye-spy, guess my number and guess my animal in order to pass the time on our long travel down to Nairobi. On arrival at BGE, we quickly unpacked and went for a much needed run on the field and play on the climbing frame. The children had a really fun evening, settling into their rooms and playing cards before lying in bed and chatting, just a little past bedtime. We woke up to rain and a sykes monkey searching the lawn just outside the boarding house for seeds. And we thought we were the bush school?

We arrived at Rusinga just in time for the welcoming speech from a very enthusiastic MC. We then got set up for the Art Competition, preparing our drawing tools and places to work. The children from the different schools were all mixed up and were very friendly, sharing materials and finding out about each other. 'Still Lifes' were set up in all the tents and then the serious business of looking and representing began. Being among so many others drawing, it was very much an exercise of self belief and also watching and learning from each other. Our children did really well; you can see from their drawings (photos below) how carefully the arrangements were observed and also how well their individuality shows through in their different interpretations.

After a short break, it was then time for a bit of colour fun while the work was judged. Dressed up in white t-shirts, the children ran back and forth across a small field where some older children showered them in powder paint.

The journey back was again passed with numerous rounds of eye-spy, guess my number and guess my animal. We arrived back in Nanyuki, colourful, grubby and tired, but also proud of our art work and happy to have spent the last day and a half in good company.