I AM UMM KULTHUM

The women that are the subjects of these paintings are everyday women who inspire and push me to be strong and creative. They are actors, artists, singers, fictional characters, and strong women in history. The strength of one, the tenderness of another. The will of one, the musings of another. I celebrate all women past and present: those who dared, and those who dreamed. Few things in a woman are as expressive as her eyes and hair. I wanted to create paintings highlighting the depth and character that a woman can portray with just these two elements, stripping away everything else. The strength in the eyes and the femininity expressed by the hair represents a woman’s unique duality that transcends culture. Some of the paintings also include a detail that is embroidered directly on the paper. The boldness of the thread contrasted against the softness of the watercolor helps further accentuate that duality.