Natures child Drawing

Living and growing up in the UK of Caribbean/African background I felt no connection to the African Culture or heritage. Through books and literature I began trying to bridge the gap of knowledge and relationship to the heritage i felt lost. On top of that experiencing the way I am portrayed and received by the world due to my skin colour, I wondered what it would feel like to not be pre judged on first glance of my skin. what would it be like to live in a society not so dominated by a euro-centric worldly ideal of beauty? I imagine this would be what it's like for the tribes people of East Africa. Untouched by the world views and opinions they see the beauty and reverence of their skin and choose to daily enhance it with various natural items borrowed from nature. They paint themselves and mostly each other in clays, use nuts, leaves and branches to adorn their bodies in a celebration of nature and their part of it. The freedom to be whoever you are. "Natures child" portrays a softness with the powerful presence of a young tribes girl in decoration which I felt would best reflect the softness and hard edges charcoal mediums provide. Willow charcoal and charcoal pencil on toned paper.