And Beyond Painting

I was born in Peshawar, Pakistan, and grew up in the United States. I couldn't pursue art even as a hobby as in my limited income family it was considered to be the hobby of the rich and something extravagant. Nevertheless I enjoyed it and would paint using watercolors. I remember as a kid I used to love to make paintings of the planets, which my kind teachers would display in the classroom. As I grew, I was expected to finish college and earn my master's degree in Islamic Studies from the University of Peshawar. The idea of becoming an artist was hence then placed in my keepsakes box. In recent years my son with autism was encouraged by my husband and I to bring out his artistic abilities onto the canvas. Watching our young boy solely create some amazing pieces of abstract art, creating something out of nothing, required a lot of patience and motivation. One day he had enough and needed a break from art. That was the day the artist in me surfaced. I picked up the brush he left and since then haven't been able to put it down. Art is a form of creation, it is also very therapeutic, and most importantly it is beautiful. I have been blessed with an encouraging husband. I have also been friends with a professional and brilliant artist for two decades whose comments and tips have helped me a lot. My love for art, colors, and creativity assures me that I will be painting a whole lot for years to come. One thing I should add is that I have never had a single art lesson nor have I visited many art museums, so the paintings that I have so far painted are all based on my imagination and love for colors. I admire the works of Monet and van Gogh and consider myself an outsider artist.