Bruce Strachan, who stayed at ISH in 1983, shares the story of his art career and move to Ethiopia and Kenya.
22 years ago, my life took an unexpected turn. After years as a struggling New York artist, my portraits began appearing quite regularly on the covers of America’s largest and most respected publications. Then, I received a call from Henry Holt Books (a subsidiary of Macmillan Publishers).
A year earlier, I had produced a book for them that had sold quite nicely. Interestingly, they asked me to write and illustrate a picture book for young readers about ancient Egypt.
Immediately, a map of Africa took shape in my mind. I envisioned the Blue Nile as it wound its way out of Ethiopia to join the White, where, as one mighty river, it flowed majestically northward through Sudan and Egypt.
“Would it be okay,” I asked my editor, “if I were to execute this project from the Nile?” There was a pause. And then my editor replied, “You’re not serious, are you?” “I am, yes!” I laughed.
Typically, such book assignments take about a year and a half to complete. And with the then recent arrival of the internet, one could conceivably work from just about anywhere.
I arrived in Africa a few months later in 2001, basing myself in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. And just like that, I guess I became, almost serendipitously, one of the globe’s earliest digital nomads!
I remained in Ethiopia for the next four years, where I fell in love with its culture and developed a great fondness for its people.
“AND JUST LIKE THAT I GUESS I BECAME…ONE OF THE GLOBE’S EARLIEST DIGITAL NOMADS!”
I was also exposed to Ethiopia’s utterly fascinating ancient and medieval history, which led to my getting involved in scouting out and studying quite a number of historical sites.
Over time, I became something of a specialist and was invited to write articles for many publications, including the Journal of the Institute for Ethiopian Studies, Britain’s Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), the Annals d’Ethiopie, as well as to lecture at the University of Addis Ababa. I was also to appear on Ethiopian radio and television.
In 2004, l moved to Kenya, where I met my wife Jacinta and where we continue to reside with our young son Mubasu (my two older children, Muila and Alexander, are currently in Canada).
Life has been enriching and inspiring in countless ways.
I could fill a shelf of books with amazing experiences had, not only in Ethiopia and Kenya, but in other nations as well – Tanzania, Rwanda, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Tunisia – each of which has left a wonderful lasting impression.
Obviously, the same conventional art career opportunities don’t exist here as in a massive publishing capital like New York or London, where, incidentally, I received my very first professional portrait assignment from the BBC while still a resident of ISH in 1983!
I received my very first professional portrait assignment from the BBC while still a resident of ISH in 1983
Adapting to these market changes has turned out to be quite interesting and has compelled me to think outside of the box.
I still use my creative energies just as intensely as I did in New York, but rather than putting these into creating art for TIME, BBC or The New York Times as I once did, I’m now creating such things as elaborate treehouses, building experimental music us of ments, or carving to-scale automobiles out of wood.
Although perhaps not as glamorous as having millions of copies of one’s artwork appear on the cover of a major publication, I do nevertheless find these endeavours no less fulfilling. And I do continue to create more conventional art as well.
You can see my sketchbook portraits of various 1983 ISH residents here.
If you would like to share your story on your time at ISH or after leaving the House, please send us an email: alumni@ish.org.uk