Notice Me gets Noticed!

This evening I am incredibly excited, because tonight at the 2nd Annual Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival I was awarded First Place in the Art category!

The two pieces selected by the Foundation for their Festival were from my Notice Me series, which I have been working on since moving to the UAE in September 2013.

It began with my observations of Emirati woman going about their everyday tasks. Although they are fully covered in a black abaya with a hijab or niqab, sometimes as a casual observer I could catch a glimpse of beauty escaping the abaya: a hem of delicate fabric, a shine of an elaborate shoe or extraordinary shades of colour on their eyelids. The fact that these signs of hidden beauty were unintentionally revealed was more stimulating than any attractiveness that was free to see from a simple glance. It made me wonder about the women on the inside of the black material; what are their dreams, ambitions and colours that are hidden from us.

I would like to thank the Al Qasimi Foundation and also my amazing husband for all his constant support.