Making Art With Hammadi

I almost forgot to tell you that I got to create art with one of the local artists in Tunisia named Hammadi. He is a tall lanky man who has a permanent grin on his face that makes his eyes squint. He is very observant of his surroundings and of the people. After I had some Tunisian pastries, I started to make a collage with materials that an artist from the states brought with him. Hammadi directed me to start folding all of the magazine clippings until I had almost the whole table filled with them. I observed his technique and mimicked it. He dipped the clippings in watered down glue and put it down on his paper. I did the same thing and I also included memorabilia that I had collected in France like artists' cards and train tickets from Tunisia. The main colors we used were red, blue, and green: Red represents the blood of war, Blue represents cleansing and peace, Green represents growth. This is what I saw in Hammadi's heart and I letting him lead me through his art process. He gave me advice on what was good about my collage and what I should improve. It was powerful working next to him and being totally immersed in his world, while sharing the experience with my group and the other artist Ray. The group is making collaborative art projects that reflect what we have gained form our experience and using the art process as a way to stay sane while traveling to foreign countries. I cannot wait for you to see our work with Hammadi's because he is such a passionate and driven artist. I will never forget my morning with the lovely Hammadi.