With Rosamond Carr at her home at Gisenyi, Rwanda, not far from the Congolese border on the shore of Lake Kivu.
Rosamond Carr first arrived in Rwanda in 1949– and soon fell in love with the land and its people. Her memoir Land of a Thousand Hills: My Life In Rwanda is essential reading for those interested in this part of Africa. A friend to Dian Fossey, Mrs. Carr was portrayed by the actress Julie Harris in the film Gorillas In The Mist. Shortly after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda–and at the age of 82- she founded the Imbabazi Orphanage at Mugongo Plantation, which has subsequently saved hundreds of Rwandan children from a life on the streets. The orphanage was temporarily relocated to Gisenyi following continued political instability in the wake of the horrors of 1994, but was moved back to Mugongo in late 2005.
Mrs. Carr was 93 years old when this photo was taken in October 2005. She passed away close to a year later in September 2006 and was buried at her beloved Mugongo. She was without a doubt one of the most fascinating, loving, and courageous people that I have ever met. RIP, Mrs. Carr– you made a difference in the world and touched countless lives. You are missed, but will never be forgotten.
“Rwanda is my home, and it is here that I intend to spend the rest of my days. Its beauty is my inspiration. Its struggles have been my struggles. Its grief has been my deepest sorrow. Its people are my strength, and its children are my greatest joy.”
~ Excerpt from Land of a Thousand Hills
The concept is “order within chaos”: depicting the crush of bodies, the atmosphere of dust, and the repeating motifs encountered at water’s edge at a Great Migration Mara River crossing…
You can get a more accurate sense of scale when I stand next to it. This piece measures 32 x 60″, linen mounted on panel (one of 14 such works currently in the studio). Now to begin the color ebauche underpainting: a thin wash of the basic color palette that I will use for the opaque layers of the painting…
Artist In Africa 
