Art & Photography
ISLAMIC GEOMETRIC DESIGN
My absolute favorite place to find inspiration is in cultures that are different than my own.
I love traveling. As a student of the world, I’ve spent much of my adult life traveling and living in different cities and countries. I love immersing myself in the sites and sounds of a new place, learning about its people, history and culture.
For my second expat experience, my husband and I took up residence in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. As with all my travel and expat experiences I immediately immersed myself in the UAE’s history and culture. I was especially inspired by the stunning Islamic geometric patterns that can be found throughout the region.
Islamic geometric design is one of the major forms of art in the Islamic world. It avoids the use of figurative images in order to avoid becoming objects of worship, which is forbidden in Islam. Most Islamic geometric designs are created using squares and circles that are typically repeated, overlapped and interlaced to form intricate and complex patterns. These complex patterns can be created using only a pencil, straightedge and compass.
The designs are found all over the region, in both art and architecture, and have been used for centuries. Upon arriving in the Middle East I was immediately struck by the beauty of these designs, both simple and complex. Here is a collection of my own study of this beautiful art form.
URBAN SKETCHING
Pictures are a great way to capture memories while traveling. But some things just deserve more time.
Urban sketching teaches me to slow down and appreciate the details.
URBAN SKETCHING +
ISLAMIC GEOMETRIC DESIGN
INSTANT FILM
I love shooting with instant film for its ability to make me slow down, appreciate the details, and truly think about what I am capturing.
THE
SKETCHBOOK
PROJECT
The Sketchbook Project is a traveling library of artists’ books created by thousands of people from across the globe. Participants sign up online to receive a blank sketchbook, then fill it with artwork and mail it back. The results are cataloged in the Brooklyn Art Library’s permanent collection, displayed online in the Digital Library, and exhibited at art spaces from coast to coast.
I participated in the 2011 Sketchbook Project focusing on the theme of “Down Your Street”. Through ink and water color I cataloged streets of my friends and family members across the globe.
My sketchbook traveled to: Brooklyn, NY; Austin, TX; Portland, ME; Atlanta, GA; Washington, DC; Rochester, NY; Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; Chicago, IL; Winter Park, FL and is now part of the permanent collection in Brooklyn, NY.
