Despite the unpredictable weather, my ‘minds eye’ view of this glorious month is resolute.

June is…a glowing fireball of orange sunsets, sailing boat on the lake, the summer solstice, brighly lit lanterns hanging in the forest, al fresco gatherings, the scent of freshly cut grass, long lazy afternoons in the park, the circus coming to town, dragonflies hovering in the sunlight, a hammock swinging gently in the breeze, open-air music festivals gone wild, a country garden in full bloom, strawberries & cream, walking barefoot, a warm wind rustling through the overgrown reeds, sipping fruity cocktails with friends.

It’s the first hazy glimpse of summertime…

It’s astonishing how quickly time passes by, as it feels like only yesterday that l took flight and explored the vast wilderness grasslands of Kenya.

A Wayfaring Art journal certainly proved to be my perfect pocket companion…a blank canvas wrapped in leather, waiting to be filled with visuals and story-telling recreated by gaslight…

The above extract taken from my journal, reflects the area that l was most fortunate to experience – the breathtaking Tsavo National Park.

On the right-hand page, is a winding path, which leads to a circular campfire place. It was here, that we were told African stories late into the night. And by day, the majestic beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro could be admired in all its glory!

Following the campfire evening, our local guide graciously gave me a hand-crafted gift, which in English is known as the Toothbrush Tree. 

Karithca kindly wrote down the different names directly onto the dental tool. The Maasi name is Oremit, in Swahli it means Mswaki, and the botantical name is Salvadora perscia.  l’ve placed this heart-warming gift in the middle of my journal montage, as a symbol of the culture embraced, and the friendships made throughout my travel.

Observing wildlife in their natural habitat was simply a dream come true – generating treasured memories that remain close to my heart and have become part of my Safari reflections.

My love for making “visual ideas” sketchbooks began during my student days, and it is an activity that continues to nurture my playful and creative spirit.

l tend to start visual thinking in my minds eye, which then leads to carving out my visions onto paper via my A5/A6 sketchbooks. l have started to see my sketchbooks as a journey – a space that evolves over time with the development of ideas – capturing a colourful reflection of a “moment in time”, documenting various moments of my creative path.

It’s always exciting to start a new fresh book with bare crisp white pages, as l never quite know the direction l may go in, and the vibrant forms that start to take shape never ceases to give joy in my quest to quench my creative thirst.

Whether it be a textured piece of paper, a tactile cut of fabric, a charming illustration that perfectly fits a visual that l am creating, or the written word that matches the mood, for a vision that is taking form in my mind…l have fun playing around with concepts, giving them a visual voice that l eagerly seek as an artist/designer – generating a long-lasting piece of “pictorial happiness” for the intended recipient.

Such sketchbook playtime makes my soul sing.