‘Kumbengo’ 55cm x 75cm

Iris’s latest painting is on the table still drenched from the last layer of blue.  Little pockets of orange appear as she dabs a sponge here and there, something takes her attention and she moves off into her play room, she hands me the remote control and wants me to replay a programme she has been watching.  It’s called ‘Zingzillas’ and it features a man playing an African harp called the Kora.  She finds the unusual sound of this instrument fascinating and watches the skillful musician play at ease with just his thumbs and index fingers plucking at the strings.  Again and again she wants to see the clip of him playing, while darting back to the kitchen to check on her painting, adding splashes of white that seep into the thick watercolour paper.  Later that day she seems more settled and starts to add some more detail to the painting, creating rhythmic patterns.  Dancing as she paints, using her stamp in a beat to music only to be heard in her head but can now be seen on the paper.  So after some thought I wanted to name this one ‘Kumbengo’ an African term meaning rhythm of the Kora.