Brushstrokes of the Wild
Giraffe Manor Hotel Mural by Camille Wekesa
Something new and beautiful has appeared on the end wall of the Garden Manor’s https://www.thesafaricollection.com/properties/giraffe-manor/accommodation-garden-manor/ new dining space – a swirl of colour, calm and creativity that draws you in the moment you walk through the door. When we finished our intimate evening dining room, we knew it needed something special: a story on the wall.
Enter Kenyan mural artist Camille Wekesa, brush in hand and imagination in full flow. Over the course of several weeks, she transformed the space into a scene of gentle wonder – part real, part dream. When we visited Camille mid-creation, an aura of calm creativity filled the room; the steady rhythm of her brush and the hush of concentration made the whole space feel almost meditative. Now, cool hues of blue and grey ripple across the wall, giving the room a peaceful, almost mystical quality, like a dreamscape you could wander into and get lost in. Leaves and light mingle in delicate detail. The result? A mural that feels peaceful by day and quietly alive by night.
Meet the Artist: Camille Wekesa
Camille’s artistic journey began right here in Kenya, though her craft was honed in Italy. At just eighteen, she swapped the African savannah for the art studios of Milan, Florence and Rome, where she spent six years mastering the centuries-old techniques of mural and fresco painting. It was there she learned the traditional Renaissance art of gilding with platinum, a shimmering detail she has used to finish the Giraffe Manor mural, adding sparkle to the wall once evening light falls across it.
Since returning to Kenya in the late 1990s, Camille’s career has taken her across the world, from the Coca-Cola Africa boardroom in the UK to commissions in Sri Lanka, the USA and Italy. Around 95% of her work is in private residences, which makes the Giraffe Manor mural particularly special: a rare opportunity for the public to experience her art first-hand.
Today, Camille is based in Nanyuki, travelling frequently for commissions throughout the year. About 60% of her work is murals, the rest on canvas, though murals remain her favourite.
A Story in Every Stroke
Camille’s mural unfolds along the left-hand end wall as you enter the new private dining space. Cool tones of blue and grey set a tranquil scene, while lush, orchid-inspired foliage twists through a whimsical landscape. Look closely and you’ll spot a few Nubian giraffes https://www.thesafaricollection.com/nubian-giraffe-a-conservation-success-story/ disappearing into the Ngong Hills: a quiet nod to our long-necked residents. They’re there, but not the stars of the show; just another gentle reminder that nature has a way of stealing the spotlight without trying.
“Murals let me live within the art,” she says. “You form a bond with the space, the people, even the light. It becomes part of you.”
The mural is part real, part surreal, a world that balances between dream and memory, finished with soft touches of platinum leaf that glint like starlight after dusk.
An Artistic Friendship Rekindled
This isn’t Camille’s first brush with The Safari Collection https://www.thesafaricollection.com/. In the late 1990s, she met Tanya and Mikey Carr-Hartley while painting six murals at Ol Jogi in Laikipia, a private collection that marked the beginning of her professional career. Decades later, the collaboration has come full circle in a joyful reunion of shared history, creativity and conservation.
“I’ve always admired The Safari Collection’s commitment to protecting Kenya’s wild spaces,” says Camille. “To create something that celebrates that, and that guests from all over the world can enjoy, makes this project truly special to me.”
Art That Gives Back
Camille’s fascination with painting landscapes naturally led her towards conservation projects, making the Giraffe Manor commission especially meaningful. For Camille, this piece felt like the perfect meeting of art and purpose, a chance to create something that honours Kenya’s natural world while supporting its protection.
Since completing the Giraffe Manor piece, Camille is working on a project of eight circular murals of iconic and world heritage Kenyan landscapes. These will be used as educational tools for the next generation of young artists and conservationists, eventually opening to the wider public as part of the Orkedi Foundation Art Collection. Founded by Camille in 2023, The Orkedi Art, Nature and Education Foundation https://www.orkedifoundation.com/ uses art to nurture a deeper connection with nature and inspire environmental conservation across Africa.
A Wall with a Wild Heart
Now complete, the mural feels like it’s always been there, blending effortlessly with the Garden Manor’s soft tones and leafy setting. It’s a celebration of art, heritage and the natural world that inspires everything we do.
After all, at Giraffe Manor, even the walls have stories to tell.
Guests staying overnight at Giraffe Manor can now experience Camille’s mural in the Garden Manor dining room, a tranquil reflection of Kenya’s wild beauty.
Artist: Camille Wekesa | Instagram @camillewekesa
