BACK HOME - JUNE 2013

NAIROBI VS. LAMU

got home from the Holy Land and spent 3 weeks in Lamu. work has been slow it was time to hit the coast.  nice to be back even during the wet season. no tourists, got to know the locals, dusted off some old screenplays, all in all, very cool. felt like i became a villager this trip. amidst a whacky group of ex-pat misfits, i feel right at home. and then....the skype call that changed my life.

my brother in AZ knows me well. very well. he's been to NBO and lamu and seen my life first hand. he gets it. even shot B-cam for me on a shoot in NBO. so we skype. he cuts to the chase. "TEACH ART OR MAKE ART. THAT'S WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO!". and he's right, very right. so, my new life in africa is to teach art or make art. my producer lorella can do the slingshot productions now without. and she's good. 

so with that new motto/credo in mind, let's get to the pics. i even feel more freedom putting in more arty pic stuff that doesn't have to make sense. i have a new found freedom. and i'm teaching a 9 week seminar program in the cinematic arts. and a 9 week hollywood acting course. having a blast! loving it! very fulfilling! and i can write scripts in lamu. loving the new program.

picture time!

yes we have cup-holders in africa. dorman's coffee. yum.

william gives his profiles in the hollywood acting course while i operate the camera.

we started with 26 acting students. down to 16. it's getting hard now.

pritul is an indian student and doing well.

brian started with me last year and has already has a career as a working actor here.

melissa missed the first class but is really coming on as one of my best students.

it's a fun class, but the bar is high. people are taking themselves more seriously and becoming
more professional.

meanwhile, back in lamu, we're off to manda island for bruch!

every day is an adventure, and i much the boat culture over nairobi traffic!

some of the colorful locals, and now my friends

paradise? you could certainly argue that.

make art

always love the wood boats. a lost art.

Beyonce getting some work done in lamu.

sunday brunch crowd. a new mix every week!

wet season in lamu. i actually love it!

the view, the colors, the light. always changing. always breathtaking.

producer lorella loving the slingshot summit in lamu!

my swahili shutters. ornate and wonderful.

the locals ask if they can ride for free when i take a water taxi from shela to lamu town. how can you say no?

always love the arabic architectural flair.

sunset view from my writing perch.

sunset over shela village

capt yosef. my number one skipper.

the blues are really blue.

the medical clinic in lamu town. a little scary for open sores.

my morning dining room, and movie watching on the laptop at night.

finally switched to ice coffee to beat the heat. what took me so long?

water taxi back to shela village. lamu is 99% muslim. feels much more arab than africa.

stairs up to the competing clinic next door. much cleaner.

it's a beautiful morning.

the dhows always look so graceful.

color and texture in shela village.

mule train carrying coral cinder blocks for construction.

village wedding stick dance ceremony at the front plaza

my rental digs in lamu. can't complain! the real estate guardian angel continues to bless me!

in the slow season it's back to single prop bush plane to the coast.

african signage for our Slingshot seminars at the venue. it's works i suppose.

i was a judge at the actor's monologue challenge. had fun being simon cowell!

our new brochure.

sunday at the Nairobi racetrack. always relaxing!

producer Lo J and her mom at art caffe. 2 dolls!

Lo J sorting seminar details at HQ, dreaming of making our first film!

always nice to hear the horses clopping by on the cobblestone in the morning.

still life on ngong road. women carrying fuelwood.

paka paka lords over HQ and blends into the wood wall.

we've been doing "Hollywood Audition". could spend 9 weeks on just that!

this saturday afternoon seminar was on "Shooting and Cutting"

we took to the field and made a short vid.

inside the teaching venue at Shalom House. there's a 42" plasma right behind me for clips and
power point. look forward to every saturday!