Opening 31 May 2025
Annick Mitchell
NGURUNIT – A JOURNEY NORTH
Ngurunit is my latest collection of work in oils, inspired by a recent safari to the far north of Kenya – seeking adventure in the shadow of Mt Poi, Loomuguru. Off the beaten track it was the kind of trip that bought to life the old saying, ‘the journey, not the destination.
Whilst there is a broader conversation to be had around shifting land use and the mounting pressure on wild spaces, we remained blissfully present - travelling slow roads, walking through awe-inspiring landscapes passing small herds of livestock, scatterings of plains game, and hundreds of camels drinking from dry lugga wells.
I created this series of impressions simply to honour the quiet resilience of pastoralist communities, their livestock and to celebrate the enduring presence of wildlife endemic to Kenya’s great northern frontier.
Annick Mitchell - Nanyuki - May 2025
Ngurunit is my latest collection of work in oils, inspired by a recent safari to the far north of Kenya – seeking adventure in the shadow of Mt Poi, Loomuguru. Off the beaten track it was the kind of trip that bought to life the old saying, ‘the journey, not the destination.
Whilst there is a broader conversation to be had around shifting land use and the mounting pressure on wild spaces, we remained blissfully present - travelling slow roads, walking through awe-inspiring landscapes passing small herds of livestock, scatterings of plains game, and hundreds of camels drinking from dry lugga wells.
I created this series of impressions simply to honour the quiet resilience of pastoralist communities, their livestock and to celebrate the enduring presence of wildlife endemic to Kenya’s great northern frontier.
Annick Mitchell - Nanyuki - May 2025
Born and raised in Kenya, my journey has been colourful. I began my working life as an entrepreneur. My first venture was running a backpacker hostel in Nairobi, followed by the more successful launch of The Venerable Bead – a small shop with a big heart. After a brief detour into soap making, I fell headfirst into what became a long and successful career in wildlife tourism.
It wasn’t until a redundancy in 2019 that I decided to revisit a creative path and turn my hand to painting. With no formal training, what began as a personal exploration quickly gained momentum, primarily through commissioned pet portraits.
My parents were great explorers, and much of my childhood was spent road-tripping and fly camping in remote wild places. I loved the long, slow drives – passing small herds of livestock with young herders in amongst scatterings of plains game. Those early impressions continue to inspire and shape my work. As land use shifts and pressure on wild spaces grow, I honour the resilience of pastoralist livestock, celebrate the beauty of wildlife and reflect on the evolving balance between pastoralism, commercial agriculture and conservation.
I work on canvas and paper, mixing several mediums experimenting with subtle texture – often with a splash of rubbing alcohol and spray paint. My work has been exhibited in Kenya at One Off Gallery in Nairobi, The Affordable Art Show at The Nairobi National Museum, and in the UK as a finalist for Explorers Against Extinction, Sketch for Survival.
It wasn’t until a redundancy in 2019 that I decided to revisit a creative path and turn my hand to painting. With no formal training, what began as a personal exploration quickly gained momentum, primarily through commissioned pet portraits.
My parents were great explorers, and much of my childhood was spent road-tripping and fly camping in remote wild places. I loved the long, slow drives – passing small herds of livestock with young herders in amongst scatterings of plains game. Those early impressions continue to inspire and shape my work. As land use shifts and pressure on wild spaces grow, I honour the resilience of pastoralist livestock, celebrate the beauty of wildlife and reflect on the evolving balance between pastoralism, commercial agriculture and conservation.
I work on canvas and paper, mixing several mediums experimenting with subtle texture – often with a splash of rubbing alcohol and spray paint. My work has been exhibited in Kenya at One Off Gallery in Nairobi, The Affordable Art Show at The Nairobi National Museum, and in the UK as a finalist for Explorers Against Extinction, Sketch for Survival.
