The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. Pablo Picasso
In that my art is an exuberant celebration of all created human mysteries, it defies the simple unity of acrylic oil paints applied on canvas. To this I add pointillistic stippling, silver and gold leaf in accentual overlay, newspaper tatters, coconut fiber, strips of raw leather, glitter paint embossing and impasto expressions gently etched by knife palette, brush and nozzle for 3D palpability. The intended feeling is for the paint to seem to emerge from the canvas like one of Jean Renoir’s porcelain Venetian masks.
As I walk through life I am constantly inspired, particularly by the themes and images of humanism. Every day I am humbled by and marvel at God’s endlessly magnificent creations, and through my work I seek a bonding of sorts to that source of original essence. A sense of spirit infuses every brush stroke which is my homage to the wonders that surround. Often the words “see what you cannot see…" steep as I behold a new canvas. Indeed, my artwork is a mirror of my inner being and has always been a medium to self-realization.
In terms of what my work represents, I offer an example. I paint women in the fullness of their beauty, statuesque, noble yet infinitely delicate. They are the bearers of countless centuries of tradition, yet I also perceive them as exquisite pearls or rare flowers that are gifts to the earth as they carry out their roles of mother, sister, wife, and daughter and do so in quiet splendor. Often when I paint Islamic themes and the symbolism that defines Islam, the shapes and forms that create a conduit to profound emotion also lead me to a deeper understanding of my inner spiritual being.
Beyond the inspiration of the world I see, I have also been influenced by the beauty and the pathos of Van Gogh and the innovations of Picasso. I have always been something of a gypsy in spirit, as I love to mix with people from all walks of life. As we speak in the café or in the middle of a crowded thoroughfare, I marvel at their lives of unrelenting work as well as their generous and authentic natures that, in each encounter, are lessons in humility and the need to ever grow as a human being.
