Despair finally drew me out - my pile of empty paints is nearly larger than my pile of working paints, which threatens my progress and my emotional well-being. There is nothing good about grinding to a halt in the middle of a satisfying (and potentially successful) creative stream.
So I took some initiative and contacted a local artist who has a prolific showing of work in the area. He has painted many restaurant, school and theme park murals. I friended him on FB and asked if we could meet.
This is a hit or miss approach and luckily, I struck gold. Drissa turned out to be super friendly and completely revealing. We met at Le Savana and spent the afternoon talking art. Really refreshing. Everyone has a story and Drissa is no different. We swapped histories and perspectives on art. We have a lot in common and the conversation flowed freely. I could have talked on into the night.
Eventually I let him go to work and made my way back home, promising to get together again soon, hoping to visit his atelier and suggesting a collaboration of sorts- between us and between our students.
Drissa took me to the Papeterie de l'Amitie- a potential source for acrylic paints, which, unfortunately on this day had only a few bottles of mustard gouache and some very watery purple 'tempera-acrylique.' I grabbed a card so in the future I could call to see if they'd received a shipment before heading out. We went back to the restaurant so he could teach me plan B.
In Abidjan people kept trying to get me to do things with glue, insisting the gesso I was searching for was really just glue. I even went so far as to try coating a freshly pulled canvas with it, to no avail (and no surprise, either.)
Apparently, I had the technique all wrong. Drissa assures me he paints with glue all the time. There are colored dyes available cheaply and in plenty of quantity at any quincaillerie (hardware store.) Large buckets of white interior house paint can also be used and it makes a fine gesso base coat (and is also mixed with glue and water to create a consistency for any number of surfaces.)
After a quick demo, our conversation continued - and to think, I worry about having something to say. Lately, I've had to cut things short in order to get anything done. But I enjoyed his story- I am really loving people's stories. There is a place for this collection of human narratives, even if I haven't found it yet, I sense it.
His dedication to drawing and creating art began at a young age. Although he comes from a creative family, his mother dyes fabric and works with design, Drissa experienced pressure from his father's side of the family to do less representational (and perhaps more ornate design.) Despite this, he continued with his passion, often secretly. At the age of 17, he decided to stop his pursuits in soccer and continue full time with art. He gave himself 3 years to make something of it.
His chain of events plays like a beautiful crescendo. One small break led to another bigger and better until he found himself among top name musicians and artists, painting drop backs and collaborating on projects together.
Of course, the route to success is never without set-backs. He had his share of hard times, stowing away in random market stalls to sleep and secretly drawing on neighborhood walls. He had a lost chance at love when the woman he was involved with wanted him to move to France. He didn't see a future in art there, all of his work being here, and so chose to stay. She couldn't support the climate, the heat, the dryness and chose to continue her artwork at home in France.
Drissa has traveled a bit, participated in residencies in Morocco and France. He has exhibited in Dakar and Europe, but there is an energy that keeps him coming back to his country. He's managed to buy some land, after one of his more successful exhibits abroad, and he's begun the slow process of building his own studio and exhibit space.
He works with neighborhood children when he can, when he is not traveling or preparing to show in one festival or another. He teaches them drawing and gives them a chance to experience what it's like to make art, to be creative. To express themselves.
Perhaps his most successful story is his younger brother, who he has trained and is beginning to come into his own. We talked a lot about his experiences making art communally, something that has become more important to me lately. It's not for every artist, indeed, he talked about the competition and jealousy that can sometimes be present in the large workshops he's participated in. But there is also often an air of community and collaboration, of creative construction that contributes to personal growth.
Lucky for me, he is at that point in his career where he is open to sharing. I left the restaurant armed with secrets uncovered. Ready to try my hand at the plan B painting method and looking forward to our next exchange- a visit to his workshop, some art making with the kids and maybe a shared canvas between us. Sounds like a bright spot in the Bamako haze that has descended.
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| Mixing lesson: glue, tint, house paint (optional) |
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| L'artiste Drissa (photo from his FB page) |
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| Interior of Savana, kind of a sweet spot despite the odd musical nostalgia I've been subject to every visit |
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| Newly completed mural at Savana |
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| Entrance wall of Savanna |
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| Working at night- preferred painting hours |
