Maasai:

Jan hadn't painted people since college life drawing class. She really had no real interest in the "human animal" until she started going to Kenya. The Maasai live traditionally, the same as they have lived for hundreds of years. They are nomadic pastoralists, traveling from area to area with their cattle. The young men are called "Morani" which means warrior and their job is to protect the herds from predators and marauding tribes. As a sign of manhood warriors used to kill lions and fashion their mane into tall elaborate head dresses. They no longer kill lions, but the mane head dresses are passed down. Jan has now begun depicting them in her work and very much enjoys painting their beautiful multi hued dark skins, strong expressions and beautiful bead work that even the men wear.

In this photo Jan is seen with a group of Morani and Junior Elders. Notice one of the men is wearing an ostrich feather head dress - the other type of head dress worn by Morani.

Here is the drawing done to size getting ready to be transferred to the painting surface. Note the reference photos Jan is working from on the left.

Here the Maasai has been blocked in with dark brown paint, and the drawing has been transferred. Notice that the drawing is actually much more simple than with wildlife. The technique Jan uses for skin and human features is much looser and does not require as detailed beginning drawing.

The skin has been very loosely started.

The skin is completed, the head beads have been done and the head dress started. Jan is "drawing" in the hair on the lion mane head dress just as she would on a painting of lion.

The Lion Mane head dress is now done. It had a unifying brown wash put on it and then redetailed out just as Jan does the fur and hair on animals.

The robe has now been started. Cloth is a very different texture for Jan to do. She does enjoy doing it however. She starts very loose - defining the folds and shadows.

Here the "Shuka" - robe - is done and the jewelry is blocked in with dark brown paint and the basic drawing transferred.

This is the completed painting "PORTRAIT OF A WARRIOR" 16 x 8". It will be at Jan's one person show in New York at FORBES magazine gallery.