In 2009, I was afforded the opportunity to study abroad in Ghana West Africa. It was my senior year at the Evergreen State College Tacoma. I was invited by a Director of a private children’s home in Ghana. She asked me to create curriculum for her students. The subjects she wanted them to learn were Art, Music, and Leadership Development. Being a student at TESCT allowed me to create my own course with faculty sponsor. The name of my course was Cultural Studies and Curriculum Development.
Being an Artist, Musician, and Leader within my community made the task to create curriculum on Art, Music, and Leadership a breeze. My students, k-8, were amazing and it was a joy teaching all of them. During my off time is when I would explore the local area, market, and learn about the foods.
I would frequent a small Internet cafe in the nearby village. It was owned and operated by a young Ghanaian orphan. He gifted me my first lesson book to learn the local language of Twi. Anytime I stopped by the cafe to check my emails he would quiz me on my skills.
These memories were stirred up recently during my studio time. I started to paint with the color black, added white, and used a lot of water this time around. The process gave the piece a water color feel and look. The development of the piece has been very contemplative over several weeks. I have named the piece “The View”.
Part of my artistic expression is to take photos of my process and the various stages of my work. Later I observe and make creative decision on next steps. “The View” was created horizontally and one day I just decided to turn the piece vertically. What manifest was a beautiful woman deeply in gaze at the distant shore. Immediately my mind remembered my Ancestors, the stolen ones, from the shores of West Africa. I thought about the castles during my cultural studies tours and the tears that poured down my face while a strong wind from the Atlantic kissed my cheeks.
SABREEHNA S. ESSIEN 