D’où vient la joie?

19x24” pencil on bristol by Dave Kobrenski. “Where does joy come from?” While drawing this portrait of a joyous woman from Guinea, West Africa, I thought a lot about this question. It’s one that I find myself asking quite often while I’m traveling in West Africa, and for good reason: despite what most people would see as oppressive poverty and a difficult way of life, the people of Guinea always seem to find joy in their everyday lives. Perhaps it is their immense pride in their families and communities, or their vibrant music, dance, and cultural traditions. Others would tell me that it stems from their courage in facing life with a smile, with the ones you love around you. Une telle joie? Il faut avoir de courage ! Such joy? One must have courage!