art of conservation

Born in Des Moines, Iowa, USA, Julie fell in love with art, animals, and nature at an early age. After finishing her undergraduate studies at Drake University in Des Moines, Julie pursued a career in the visual arts. While working in New York City, she illustrated a children's book series, Taelly's Counting Adventures (1993), managed Gabrielle Sanchez Studio, and designed for Sleeping Partners, Inc. From there, she opened Julie Ghrist Studio. Her art has been on display at Art House on Ingersoll in Des Moines and at Fetch in Greenwich Village. Throughout this time, Julie volunteered whenever she could on behalf of conservation, finally deciding to move to Africa in 2005. Initially, she volunteered in Kenya for Earthwatch Institute's Grevy's Zebra Research Initiative, in Cameroon for the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund, in Zambia for Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage, and in Rwanda for the International Gorilla Conservation Program. In 2006, Julie established Art of Conservation, a community art program designed to bring people closer to animals and nature through art. She lives in Rwanda's Musanze District with her two wonderful dogs.

Valerie AKUREDUSENGE
Translator & Interpreter, Art of Conservation
Valerie AKUREDUSENGE grew up in the Gakenke District in the Northern Province of Rwanda. Like many Rwandans, she lost her family members during the 1994-1998 war, but perserved. She is in her last year of university level training at INES-Ruhengeri, Institut d'Enseignement Superieur de Ruhengeri, in the Department of Translation and Interpreting. Valerie has worked as a translator and guide for Amahoro Tours, a community-based tourism company based in Ruhengeri. She completed a
two-month internship with the Rwandan Parliament, translating and interpreting speeches as well as written text. Her independent study is about the importance of proper training for guides who work in community-based tourism. She enjoys working with people and loves to learn new things.

Eric MUTABAZI
Art Instructor, Art of Conservation
Eric Mutabazi grew up in Musanze District, Northern Province, Rwanda. He attended secondary school at the School of Art Nyundo in Gisenyi, Rubavu District, Rwanda, and now works mostly as a graphic artist producing logos and signage for a variety of clients. He is one of few well-established, working artists in Rwanda despite the many challenges of life and work in one of the world's most highly populated and poor countries. Eric enjoys working with all types of media-especially paints-and hopes one day to have his own well-supplied studio. He lives in Musanze District with his wife and two children.

Fahad NDANGIZA
Assistant Art Instructor, Art of Conservation
In 2008, Fahad joined Team AoC. He grew up in Kisoro
District in western Uganda. After completing primary
and secondary school level education, Fahad attended
Kakungulu Memorial School in Kampala, Uganda for two
years of advanced level arts. Fahad says he returns
to Rwanda, his home country, to share his knowledge
with his people. A painter, he and Eric are preparing
an atelier at my house to begin new paintings.