Finished a painting

Last night, Dominique, Shayma talked about art and life in Egypt amongst other things, I was badgerd by Dominique to do another sketch. Having bought art supplies at a shop in Dokki, acrylic paints, paint brushes, canvases and paper, I had a late start this afternoon but finally completed one. Started out with a sketch of a Bedouin boy in South Sinai and dida watercolor wash but it looked too contrived, too stiff so I went over it in acrylic being much more free. It is in my Fauve style and I am pretty happy with it. A tad more work on the eyes and lips and my photo is not quite as colorful as the real painting. Dimensions are 11" x 15" and is on coldpress watercolor paper.

I also worked on more research about my research mapping out the destinations so that as little as possible backtracking will be done. One trip is Cairo to Marsa Matrouh along the coast. some workshops there. I found that FTE/Egypt Craft Center is another part of the Fair Trade Egypt Foundation aka World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) from 2001. Then a 4 hour bus ride to Siwa. At Marsa Matrouh, one needs to get a permit to visit Siwa. Shayma knows someone there so she will see if he will introduce us to his wife and then we can mingle with the Bedouin women - a difficult task otherwise. I read that on the full moon in Siwa in October there is the date festival, October 4 which would be quite a festival to witness. Will try to go there then.

A second trip is going to the Fayoum very close to Cairo and perhaps Bahariyya Oasis - Valley of the Golden Mummies.

Then there is the Dakhla oasis trip where there is a pottery festival in mid October. This can be combined with other visits. More later.

Supposed to go to a music concert at the Sawy Culture Wheel in Zamalek, close to my Alpha Market.