Awer G. Bul started painting at the age of six using the simplest traditional art materials, burning cow dung to produce the color white and grinding charcoal to make black. His canvas was the mud walls of his house and his fingers were the brushes. In 1900, Awer fled Sudan at seven years old with his parents and three younger siblings who unfortunately passed away during the long trek. Around 1994, Awer and his parents were separated, he was placed in Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya while his parents were in a refugee camp near the border of Sudan and Kenya. For the next six years Awer endured poor heath conditions, limited water supply, and eating one meal a day. Art was the only escape and his artwork caught the attention of Americans working in Kakuma Refugee Camp. Unable to speak English, Awer communicated through his art, depicting the horrors that he witnessed. Awer's remarkable talent impressed a United Nations aid worker, which helped him get to the United States. In 2000 Awer was relocated to Richmond Virginia and quickly assimilated to the American culture. He graduated with honors from J.R. Tucker High School in 2004. In 2008 Awer graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University, majoring in art. He now runs the Awer G. Bul Mission, an organization aiming towards providing education for the youth living in refugee camps. Proceeds from his paintings and painting by other refugees helps finance his effort.Website: http://www.awerbul.net/
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Read more: http://www.arnettandassociates.com/SpeakerDetails/27716/Awer-Bul.htmlhttp://www.news.vcu.edu/news/Lost_Boy_of_the_Sudan_Ready_to_Graduate_After_Long_Journey
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