“I Paint My House” by Margaret Courtney-Clarke is a collection of photographs of African women showing how they decorate their homes. In addition to pottery and textiles, there is a South and West African tradition of painting the outside of the house with bold shapes and bright colors representing the people that live inside. The women are able to express themselves as family history is documented through art and design.
Ms Courtney-Clarke has also produced coffee table sized books, “African Canvas: The Art of West African Women”, filled with her photographs of the bright geometric designs of Berber and Ghanaian women.
(“I Paint My House” is actually a book of postcards. But, the murals and decorations are so vibrant and alive, I haven’t mailed any.)
***