CoachHALL

One of the highlights of our time near Johannesburg was visiting NIROX Sculpture Park. Tucked away in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, this remarkable 30-hectare landscape combines contemporary sculpture, artists’ residencies, a beautiful restaurant, performance spaces, and nature into a single immersive experience. This visit almost didn’t happen. After taking an Uber to the park, we were greeted by a packed parking lot and signs announcing a private Father’s Day

One of my goals for this journey has been to better understand the diverse cultures that shape South Africa and Africa more broadly. While museums have provided invaluable historical context, our visit to Lesedi Cultural Village offered something different: an opportunity to experience the cultures as something alive. Coach Hall in Ndebele village. The tour introduced us to five of South Africa’s cultural groups—the Pedi, Basotho, Xhosa, Ndebele, and Zulu. As we moved throug

When people ask about our time in Kruger National Park and the Sabi Sands, they usually want to know one thing: “Did you see the Big Five?” We did. We were incredibly fortunate to see all five, along with giraffes, zebras, elephants, countless birds, and, perhaps most memorably, two extraordinary leopard sightings. One male leopard, after remaining hidden from our guides for hours, finally emerged and climbed onto a fallen jackalberry tree as if he had decided the audience ha

We took a break from animal safaris and left the bush of Kruger behind for a day trip traveling to the Panorama Route through the Drakensberg Mountains. Drakensberg means “Dragon Mountains,” which seemed especially appropriate for a Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Green Dragon-sponsored trip. As is often the case with travel, getting there became part of the learning experience. Our driver spoke nine of South Africa’s eleven official languages. He explained that he can usu

One of my goals for this trip was to spend some time working in my sketchbook. In reality, I haven’t had nearly as much time as I imagined. We’ve been constantly on the move, with early mornings, long drives, museum visits, and activities packed into nearly every day. Still, I’ve been trying to make sketching a regular part of the journey. It’s something I encourage my students to do as well. Most of my drawings have been quick pencil studies. A sketchbook is perfect for this

Our time in Kruger National Park has been nothing short of extraordinary. While this trip is focused on understanding the indigenous art and cultures of South Africa, it is impossible to separate that art from the landscape that inspired it. The animals, plants, and vast open spaces are not merely subjects depicted by artists; they are woven into spiritual beliefs, stories, ceremonies, and visual traditions that have developed over thousands of years. We made our home at the

One of the most enjoyable experiences of our first week in Cape Town was an evening at Gold Restaurant’s African Experience. While many of our activities have focused on museums and historical sites, this was an opportunity to experience culture in a much more immersive and celebratory way. The evening began with a drumming session, where guests were handed djembes and encouraged to learn simple rhythms together. There is something wonderfully disarming about an entire room o

One of the primary goals of this trip is to better understand the artistic traditions of Africa. While much of that exploration has focused on indigenous art forms, I am equally interested in how contemporary African artists draw upon, transform, or challenge those traditions. There was no better place to begin that investigation than Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town’s Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. Before even entering the galleries, the museum itself demands attention. Housed in

I had my a special beading workshop in the Woodstock area of Cape Town with Riann and Nick from Netshomi ZAM. While their focus is on a contemporary commercial market, the experience had many eye opening lessons about They specialize in the creation of beaded animal sculptures and baskets for the tourist trade The craft of beading and the tremendous skill of these practitioners was evident. Working with Nick, he would show me what appeared to be a simple maneuver, but like

While my journey is primarily focused on the indigenous and contemporary art of South Africa, it would be impossible to visit the country without making a pilgrimage to Robben Island and confronting the history of Apartheid. Understanding that history is essential to understanding South Africa today, and many contemporary artists continue to address themes of inequality, identity, memory, and justice in their work. The weather seemed fitting for the occasion. Gray skies and