Her eyes shine like stars in the dark night,
A glimpse of struggle and inner strength.
The newspapers merge with her countenance,
Reports of hope, determination and a story that never dies.
The delicate butterfly, so fragile and delicate,
Symbol of transformation, of freedom in her being.
The butterfly dances on the breeze of change,
And just goes her own way.
This work tells a story of a continent,
Of freedom struggles, almost unprecedented.
A small tribute to Nelson Mandela, the father of the nation,
And to all African women, sources of inspiration.
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Mixed media work. Colourful drawing elaborated with digital coloured pencils and brushes. Then digitally processed newspaper pieces were incorporated into the drawing. Since a tour of Senegal, I have created several works on the theme of Africa.
                                
Karen Nijst has lived in and near her beloved hometown of Maastricht for many years. She currently works as a web developer (Kahlo Websites in Hapert, Brabant) and is responsible for both programming and graphic design . The latter has undoubtedly influenced some of the drawings you can see.. Read more…