Posts by Month: July 2016
Dununba Dancer In Flight
New Artwork & Drawing Tutorial
Artwork Jul 24 2016
In the Malinké tradition of West Africa, the Dununba is the “dance of the strong men”. In a grueling and exuberant festival that can often last throughout the day, the Dununba dancers display their physical prowess while accompanied by the traditional djembe and dunun drums. Here is the latest drawing from my series depicting Mandinka culture in West Africa: a dununba dancer hailing from the Kouroussa region of Guinea gets airborne! This artwork is included in my book Drawing on Culture: An Artist’s West Africa Travelogue, which is available to purchase here. Dununba Dancer in Flight 19x24” pencil on bristol by Dave Kobrenski
L’amitié (Friendship)
Drawing by Dave Kobrenski
Artwork Jul 11 2016
“L’amitié est l’un des beaux cadeaux de la vie” — Friendship is one of the greatest gifts in life. Friendship is a universal thing. There’s something about visiting another culture, where the language and customs seem so different from your own, and seeing two friends walking together, hands interlocked and beaming with joy, to make you realize that we are all the same. I came across these young friends walking down one of the dusty paths in the village. Even though we did not speak the same language and had grown up an ocean apart, in some way I felt connected to them because I understood how friendship feels; it’s a feeling we can all experience and share. A real friend can make all your troubles seem small and the world feel brighter. “To be without a friend is to be poor indeed.” The people in this simple village have a great wealth of friendship and family. All the money and material possessions we have in the West pale in comparison. This artwork is included in my book Drawing on Culture: An Artist’s West Africa Travelogue, which is available to purchase here. L’amitié (Friendship) 14x17” pencil on bristol by Dave Kobrenski