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20 April 2007
Muslim Women Artists in U.S. Express Their Heritage and Beliefs
Washington exhibition showcases paintings, sculpture, textiles, glasswork
Washington -- Muslim women artists prominent in the American art scene are exploring and preserving their cultural heritage through paintings, sculpture, jewelry and works on paper.
“My focus is usually to maintain some sort of balance and rhythm in my paintings through the use of different colors, textures, materials and lines,” said artist Shela Qamer. Qamer often layers pieces of handmade paper to her canvases before beginning to paint. She produces modern, abstract works that display the vivid colors of the natural world.
Qamer, one of 10 Muslim women artists featured at the Eighth Annual Exhibition of Muslim Women in the Arts in Rockville, Maryland, was born in Pakistan, where she studied under Karachi-based artist Ali Imam. After emigrating to the United States in 1978, Qamer resumed her studies by taking courses from Washington’s Corcoran School of Art.
Qamer told USINFO that she starts with “very subtle ideas of how I want the painting to be,” while allowing the process to remain spontaneous. Along the way, the emerging colors, space and lines may dictate the end result, she said.
Syrian native Muna Sobhi Omari, a Washington resident who practices the art of drawing on glass, uses calligraphy to illustrate Quranic verses. Omari said she derives much of her inspiration from Damascus, her city of birth, which is known for its traditional glass-making process.
All of the artists featured in the monthlong exhibition are members of Muslim Women in the Arts (MWIA), an organization that aims to educate the American public about Islamic women and their culture by showcasing their art. The exhibit includes paintings (oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media), soft sculpture (innovative designs inspired by the illustrations in children’s pop-up books), glasswork and richly ornamented textiles.
Nadia Janjua, another artist who traces her roots to Pakistan, was born and raised in a small rural town in western Maryland, where her parents settled after arriving in the United States during the mid-1970s. Her works on paper are not confined to a particular style, although several incorporate Arabic calligraphy. And there are some surprises: one small image initially appears to be a detailed architectural drawing or etching, but on closer inspection, it reveals itself as a photo print on watercolor paper.
In one of her oil paintings, Janjua depicts a shop interior filled with musical instruments, walking sticks, vases and miniature tapestries, evoking the bazaars of Egypt or Morocco. Janjua told USINFO that her travels have influenced her artwork. Travel, she said, “is an accelerated course in life” that brings the world into sharper focus, and “it has definitely shaped me into who I am.”
Calligraphy is a recurring element in the paintings of Ann C. Saunders, who converted to Islam in 1983 after growing up in Chicago dreaming of a career in fashion design. The artist’s bold canvases superimpose calligraphy motifs against a backdrop of undulating plants and flowers. All of the motifs have significance in the Muslim faith, Saunders said.
“My artistic endeavors have changed since I embraced Islam,” noted Saunders, who has a graduate degree in advertising design from Syracuse University. “I am more passionate, confident, and joyful about my work.”
Additional information about the MWIA exhibition is available on the organization’s Web site.
For more information on artists in the United States, see The Arts.
