KARA VILLAGE, ETHIOPIA

My Extended Families...the Kara

February 16, 2011...

The reason I posted the previous video about the Kara tribe in the Omo Region of Southern Ethiopia... is because I saw another Kara video on a friend's blog, borrowed from YouTube.  It was NOT what these people are truly like...it only showed beautiful photos of what an inventive photographer dreamed up for them. They're world renown for their intricate  and very often magnificent body and face painting... something they do as is their tradition...NOT only for tourists! They are very wonderful people...warm, curious, fun-loving...who are exposed to few tourists. As this changes...IF this changes... (for they're a vanishing tribe in a very primitive area,) I imagine they'll do whatever it takes to become more well known...like having a photographer pose them in ways that are unfamiliar and atypical of WHO THEY ARE. I have two adopted families within THIS Kara tribe...they've been my extended family for 8 years now. I'd like to share their photos with you...

First, the family of my friend, Walla...her husband and 4 children (one of them named ABBY...after me!!)

This is Walla with Abby

Walla's husband, Dido with their oldest, son Gallipo...holding my "flat" grandchildren...Flat Lilly and Flat Hunter who travel with me everywhere!

Now, Buno and her family...

We speak to each other through an interpreter, with pantomime...and with our hearts.

  

Thanks for checking in...I hope this post was of some interest to you. Please come back soon...  XOX,  abbyj

Ethiopia - The Karo village

HOPE

HOPE is the word... 

February 15, 2011

One of my online art groups, PAPER TRADERS, has announced its 2nd word  for our WORD PROMPT JOURNAL...it's HOPE. Our task was to create a journal page using stencils as part of the finished piece. I used 5 different stencils as part of the background. This is a mixed media piece. You can see other entries here. (Our 1st word was LOVE!)


Thanks for stopping by...
XOX, abbyj

CHALLENGING MONDAY

ART FOR MONDAY

February 14, 2011... Happy Valentine's Day

Today, I've answered challenges from two  of my favorite "Monday" blogs. I love doing these challenges as it encourages me to KEEP "making art." Hope you enjoy these latest entries...

THINK MONDAY-THINK ATC (an ATC, for the uninitiated, is an Artist Trading Card...like a baseball card) issued its weekly challenge...a music-based theme, specifically about CLEFS. I added hearts because, well, it's Valentine's Day/Week AND... I LOVE MUSIC!!! You can see other entries here

The theme for COLLAGE OBSESSION'S art this week is SPRING. We were given two elements that we had to include in the finished piece. Stop by and visit COLLAGE OBSESSION here

Please let me know what you think...and do stop by again. I look forward to your visits!

XOX, abbyj