Nairobi, March 31 -- Nega Yilma crossed the border between Ethiopia and Kenya for the first time carrying just two paintbrushes.

Not that he wouldn't need more than that to launch his career as a painter of past acclaim.

He'd been winning art awards from the time he was twelve. He'd also been fortunate to attend what he says is the largest art school in Africa, at the University of Addis Ababa.

But he'd wanted a change, which he definitely found in coming to Kenya. On the positive side, it enabled him to exhibit his art everywhere from RaMoMa (when it was still situated at Rahimtulla Tower in Upper Hill) and the Kenya Art Fair (when it was still at Sarit Centre) to Banana Hill Gallery, University of Nairobi, and Karen Country Club.

Th...