Though painting is not my main medium, it is the place where my work first took shape and where I return to study and experiment.
The Scribe — 2024 — Acrylic and gold leaf on wood — 31 x 41 in
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The Scribe
This painting portrays Hafsah bint Omer, the early Muslim woman entrusted with safeguarding the written Qur’an. Discovering that she was literate—and that some scholars suggest she may have shaped the early text—deepened my connection to her story. By using the human figure within an Islamic visual context and surrounding it with vibrant color and floral patterns, I engage a tradition in which figuration remains contested.
This painting is part of a larger body of work exploring Hafsah’s legacy, including a large-scale installation of the same title. Exhibited in Soo Visual Art Center, 20,24 and The Phipps Center for the Arts in 2025 |
Night of Destiny - 2021 - Gouache and ink on Yupo paper - 20 x 17 in
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Night of Destiny 11 paintings for children's book illustration Zaynab’s Night of Destiny, written by Denmo Ibrahim and produced by the Commonwealth Theater Center, follows a 9-year-old Egyptian immigrant on a magical journey of self-discovery during Ramadan. The story centers on Laylat al-Qadr—the night the Qur’an was first revealed—and its personal resonance for Zaynab. These illustrations were made on synthetic Yupo paper, which resists water absorption. This creates unpredictable diffusion and distortion, contrasting with the carefully planned figures and scenes. Control and anarchy wrestle throughout the series. |
Portrait of Katayoun – 2021– oil and screen printing on panel – 30 x 24 in
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I met Katayoun Amjadi through a mutual friend “Christina Schmid” who wanted us to meet. I found Katayoun an inspiring young artist with a lot of fresh wisdom to share. A year later she included me in one of her installation projects “The Names We Change”. During that interview, we both saw the multiple mirroring of our lives. Her latest exhibit “S/WORD” reflects on how art can be equal to a gun as a weapon in wars and conflicts even though they appear opposite to each other. In poetic draping scrolls of printed paper, she ponders on how ink and blood spill on the same ground. In response to her work my mixed media painting “Portrait of Katayoun” reflects on how our understanding and consumption of art is shaped by cultural and hereditary influences. I borrowed my colors (red, black, white) from her scrolls. Both she and we see each other through a network of interlacing decorative Persian motif. Apparently benign and beautiful but also stereotypical and categorizing. |
The Scholar – 2021 – oil on panel – 18 x 24 in
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In a corner in an imaginary school in the Islamic empire in the Middle Ages, sits this teacher disguised as a man with a turban and male dress. I have not yet process what this means to me. I just imagined that there must be some genders who could not pursue their ambitions without being designated as males. |
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Super Ego – 2021 – oil on paper on panel – 18 x 24 in
During the compulsory shrinking of my public life this year, I find myself face to face with my inner beings. My dreams often have a mother figure which signifies facing my inner larger than life super ego. It is the voice telling me how to live my life in the proper way. I realized that I am fed up with this voice and need to play a little. But first, I have to stand up to face this overwhelmingly charming loving and dominating being. This painting is my process to do that. It is inspired by the image of Madonna and child which always grips me. It is specially haunting when the child appears often as a miniature adult. So, here is a double self-portrait as a child and a Madonna. |
The Bluest Eye: Self-Portrait with Blue Eyes – 2020 – gesso, gouache and gold leaf on construction paper – 22 x 26 Hexagon
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This is an homage to Toni Morrison’s novel. As Covid19 forced me into social Isolation it inspired a new self-examination, reacquainting and rediscovering myself. Covid-19 also revealed to the whole humanity the extent and the depth of social inequality. In those moments I identified with Pecola Breedlove in Morrison’s novel, The Bluest Eye. |
Allat – 2020 acrylic on panel – 18 x 24 in
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Al-Lat is a pre-Islamic goddess who was worshipped throughout ancient Arabia. Together with Al-Uzza, the warrior goddess, and Manat, the fate goddess, they were called Allah's daughter. She was associated with Athena and Minerva. Her name is the feminine version of Allah. |
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Dream of Fatimah
2020 Acrylic on Canvas 24" x 30" This painting represents "People of The House of Prophesy", Fatimah, her father, her husband, and her two sons. It is an illustration of the "Story of The Cloak". Narrated by Fatimah, the story describes how this quintinity (five in one) forms a holy unit. Subtly, but clearly, the story created a hierarchy that starts with Fatimah. Her father, Prophet Mohammed, not only appeared second but also asked for her protection and care. I called it prayer because in the end of the story, there is a directive that whenever the story is retold, there will be blessings to everyone present. |
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Hafsa Scribing The Qur'an
2020 Acrylic on Canvas 30" x 16" Muhammed's wife, Hafsa, was entrusted to keep scripts of the Qur'an. Her father was one of the few literate people of the tribe. What if she actually was the original scribe of the Qur'an? |
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Home 2018 Painting and screen-printing 23" x 23" Self-portrait with fragments of geometric deign prints on canvas. |
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My Beautiful Mother 2016 Painting and screen-printing on canvas 72" x 144" This painting is made after a Moroccan Minnesotan with special love for her home traditions. Her St. Paul home is full of beautiful Moroccan cushions, tiles and tea sets. Starry eyed and with quivering voice, she described her late mother. This inspired the Madonna like painting where she is the little girl looking in awe to her goddess-like mother. |
Mother Hafsa, (may Allah be pleased with her)
2014
Acrylic on paper on plywood.
16 x 24 inches - 41 x 60 cm.
This is a study to a larger print depicting one of Prophet Muhammed's wives, Hafsa, daughter of Omer, writing the Qur'an. There is no Islamic tradition of figurative depiction of holy figures, therefore I have made my own image of Mother Hafsa. Her attribute is that she had kept a copy of the Qura'n until her death.
The larger print is part of an installation titled " The Great Mother of Islam" where seven of P. Muhammed's wives were depicted in an enclosed space.
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Homage to Goya
2014 Acrylic transfer and paint on plywood. 23 x 36 inches - 58 x 90 cm. After drawing in ink on paper I transferred the drawing onto plywood and painted on top with acrylic. The form of this painting is inspired by La maja desnuda by Goya. The woman here is meant to be Hind Bint Utbah with her poetry in between her two portraits. |
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Flower of Paradise زهرة الفردوس
2013 Acrylic on fabric 35 x 43 inches - 89 x 109 cm. Painting on white fabric, I used acrylic shades of grey and gloss medium. The painting represents Fatimah Al zahra, Prophet Muhammad's daughter as a baby surrounded by her three sisters, Zainab, Umm Kulthoum amd Ruqqayah. The son and the half moon represent their parents, Muhammad and Khadijah. This painting is part of the installation: "Fatimah: Queen of Heaven" |
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Mother of Imams أم الأئمة
2013 Acrylic on fabric 49 x 56 inches - 125 x 142 cm. Painting on white fabric, I used acrylic shades of grey and gloss medium. The painting represents Fatimah Al zahra, Prophet Muhammad's daughter as a mother with her two sons Al-Hasan and Al-Husain. This painting is part of the installation: "Fatimah: Queen of Heaven" |
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Story of the Cloak حديث الكساء
2013 Acrylic on fabric 49 x 80 inches - 89 x 203 cm. Painting on white fabric, I used acrylic shades of grey and gloss medium. The painting represents Fatimah Al zahra, Prophet Muhammad's daughter standing in the middle holding a large decorated scarf as a tent hoovering over her family members: her father on the right pointing up to her and her husband and two sons on the left. Gabriel is seen to the right of the family holding a paper with Qur'anic writings with his right hand. This painting is part of the installation: "Fatimah: Queen of Heaven" |
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The Story of The Cloack
2012 - work in progress. Acrylic on paper on plywood. 48 x 48 inches - 122 x 122 cm. "People of the House" of prophesy of Islam, Fatimah ( peace be upon her), her father, Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) her husband Ali and her two sons Al-Hasan and Al-Husain. Gabriel is bringing them a message from God. I had repeated this painting in shades of gray acrylic on fabric and used in in the installation: Fatimah: Queen of Heaven. To read the story of the cloak: click here |
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Annunciation
2008 Acrylic and resin on plywood. 12 x 12 inches - 31 x 31 cm. Gabriel's first appearance to Muhammed in the cave. |
 Surat Yousuf - 2004 - Arabic Calligraphy and painting -16 x 16 inches
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Verses from the book of Joseph in the Qur'an. It describes the tale of Joseph and Zulaykha. Wikipedia article. This painting is used as a book cover for Sexual Ethics And Islam: Feminist Reflections on Qur'an, Hadith, and Jurisprudence, by Kecia Ali. (Qur'an 12.23 - 12.32) |
My Arab Father - 2004 - Painting, henna on raw canvas.
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My Arab Father
Describing my father story, I used henna in two different forms to give depth and variation to the painting. One form is henna water which is the clear fluid on top of the henna mix which can be of variable shades. The other form is the henna thick paste which gives dark brown textured paint. |
 Women of Arabia 2 -2002 - Acrylic on paper - 18 x 24 inches
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Women of Arabia 9 - 2001 - Oil on paper - 24" x 60"
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Self Portrait 1 -
1999
Oil on canvas
18 x 24 inches
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Identity 1 - 1999 - Acrylic on canvas - 18 x 24 inches
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