CoachHALL

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

Our first full day in South Africa began at the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town. The building itself is modest, and parts were under renovation, but the exhibition we had come to see—on San rock art—was open and well worth the visit. The show addresses some of the most basic but complex questions surrounding rock art: Who made it? How old is it? How was it created? And, perhaps most importantly, what does it mean? One of the key ideas running through the exhibition is

I'm almost ready! Tomorrow I depart for South Africa for the first time. It's a strange feeling because I've been thinking about this trip for so long that it has started to feel almost like a fever dream. For months I've been researching museums, booking workshops, comparing safari lodges, studying maps, and revising itineraries. What began as a bucket-list idea and a grant proposal slowly became a stack of reservations, confirmations, and spreadsheets. Now, somehow, it's r