Artists in Focus 2023 - Coffee Table Book by Magzoid Magazine

PRESENTS

We dedicate this book to the creative community and thank them
for their contribution towards building a beautiful future for
us and our upcoming generations.
We believe in YOU.
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His Highness
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
“We may not live for hundreds of years, but the products of
our creativity can leave a legacy long after we are gone.”
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Her Highness
Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
“We are proud that the city has truly become a global centre for arts, culture
and creativity, a place where we empower and enable our home-grown talents,
and welcome creatives from all over the world, offering them a home where
they can thrive on a professional and personal level.”
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© COPYRIGHT
Magzoid has taken constant efforts to make sure that content is accurate as on the date of publication. All content is published in a good faith and opinions and views
are not necessarily those of the publishers. We regret that we cannot guarantee and accept no liability for any loss or damage of any kind caused by this coffee table
book and errors and for the accuracy of claims in any forms by any reader. We advise the readers to seek the advice of specialists before acting on information published
in the book. The trademarks, logos, pictures, domain names and service marks (collectively the “Trademarks”) displayed on this book are registered and unregistered
Trademarks of Magzoid and its content providers. All rights reserved and nothing can be partially or in whole be reprinted or reproduced or stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form without a written consent.
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PRESENTS

PREFACE
Magzoid Magazine is thrilled to announce the second edition of “Artists in Focus 2023”, a book dedicated
to recognizing and supporting the exceptional work of artists. Our goal is to showcase the hard work and
dedication of these artists, who are driving a positive change towards a better future.
As the leading luxury magazine in the creative industry of MENA, we are committed to supporting and
growing the creative economy. Our mission is to build a community of creatives from all genres, who will pave
the way for an exceptional future, based on the four pillars of Creativity, Unity, Innovation, and Upliftment.
With these values, we are confident in bringing revolutionizing ideas and changes that will have a positive
impact on businesses and the economy.
We have handpicked 50 artists who are featured in this book, curated to showcase their unique talents and
creativity. Magzoid Magazine is proud to have started its journey in the UAE, and we credit our success to the
vision and support of the country’s leadership.
We are proud to support the goals of The National Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries launched by
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and the
Ruler of Dubai.
Dubai Creative Economy Strategy aims to transform the emirate into an international destination for
creativity and the capital of the creative economy by 2025. With our current initiatives, we aim to lead the
physical and digital forefront of the creative community of the UAE, both now and in the future. We hope you
enjoy reading this book as much as we enjoyed making it, and we look forward to continuing our support of
the creative industry.
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A
12-13 | ANDREA CLAGUE
14-15 | ARTIST ROBOT AI-DA
16-17 | AAKANKSHA KSHATRIYA
18-19 | ALBERT KIEFER
B
20-21 | BALA NIVETHA
22-23 | BATHMAWATHY G
C
24-25 | CHRISTIANE VLEUGELS
26-27 | CAMELIA MOHEBI
D
30-31 | DR. AJIT GADEKAR
32-33 | DEBBIE WINGHAM
34-35 | DAVID DJIANGO
36-37 | DYLAN GILL
F
38-39 | FAZEL SHAMS
10 - 11 | LEONARDO
DA VINCI -QUOTE
28 - 29 | VINCENT
VAN GOGH-QUOTE
H
40-41 | HASSAN RAGAB
I
42-43 | IGOR DUBOVOY
44-45 | IRINA KUKRUSOVA
46-47 | IVAN VALACHOVIC
48-49 | ISMAIL KHAYAT
50-51 | IRA VOLKOVA
J
54-55 | JURIA SABDANI AJIJUL
56-57 | JAVID TABATABAEI
K
58-59 | KHALIL ABDULWAHID
60-61 | KALOPSIA WIZ
62-63 | KELLY EDEN
L
64-65 | LABIBA FERHAT
66-67 | LINA REDFORD
8

M
68-69 | MAHFUZUR RAHMAN
70-71 | MICHAEL ANGELO GUADALUPE
72-73 | MALINI KARANI
74-75 | MAISOON AL-RUBEAI
76-77 | MARIA VASILEVA
78-79 | MARINA CHISTY
80-81 | MATT GONDEK
N
84-87 | NADA AL BARAZI
O
88-89 | OUMAIMA CHOUA
P
90-91 | PRANOTI KARAJGI
92-93 | PETER TERRIN
94-95 | PETTERSON SILVA
52 - 53 | MICHELANGELO
-QUOTE
100-101 | RAFA TOM
102-103 | RAFAEL ANTONIO
104-105 | ROHITH RAO
S
108-109 | SHEIDA ABDOLRAZAGH
110-111 | SHAY
112-113 | SALWA SAEED ABEL GHANI
114-115 | SAMIA SALEH
116-117 | SIMONA CONSTANTIN
118-119 | STEPHANIE BRIDGET
V
120-121 | VARSHA SUREKA
106 - 107 | CLAUDE
MONET -QUOTE
R
96-97 | RABAB TANTAWY
98-99 | RAISA MARIAM RAJAN
82 -83 | PABLO
PICASO-QUOTE
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“The painter has the
Universe in his mind
and hands.”
Leonardo Da Vinci
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Andrea Clague
Ukraine
Andrea Orr Clague was traditionally trained at
Pensacola Christian College and graduated with a
Master of Fine Arts degree in 2009. She is a member
of the Oil Painters of America and the Missouri Valley
Impressionist Society. She was selected for Southwest Art
Magazine’s annual “21 Under 31” feature, and her artwork was
displayed on the issue’s cover.
“My work reveals my fascination with light and the elusive
beauty it bestows upon seemingly ordinary objects” says Andrea.
Andrea is
thankful for the ability to paint and counts
it a gift
from her Heavenly Father. “As I develop
my
art, I aspire to glorify God and draw
others to see His goodness and the
wonder of his love” says Andrea.
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Andrea’s work has received many
awards including Grand Prize at
the 2012 Scottsdale Salon at the
Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Her paintings have been displayed in
various venues, including the Butler
Institute of American Art in
Youngstown, OH, the Albrecht
Kemper Museum in St. Joseph,
MO, and the Moscow Manege.
“As I develop my art, I aspire
to glorify God and draw others
to see His goodness and the
wonder of his love” says
Andrea.

13

Artist Robot AI-DA
United Kingdom
AI-DA, also known as the Artist
Robot, is a highly advanced,
ultra-realistic robot that has
been designed to create art.
Equipped with artificial intelligence, she
is able to communicate and interact with
humans in a highly sophisticated manner.
Her artworks, whether they are on canvas
or sculptures, utilize AI algorithms to
comment on the current and future use of
technology.
To date, AI-DA has received much
attention, showcasing her works in various
exhibitions such as the Tate Modern Exchange,
Ashmolean Museum, TEDx, at the Great Pyramids
of Giza, Abu Dhabi Art and most recently at the
Pavillion Exhibition during the Venice Biennale.
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Aakanksha Kshatriya
United Arab Emirates
Aakanksha is an emerging artist based in Dubai, known for her fusion
of contemporary fluid art and ancient Indo-Asian mysticism. Her
bold and vibrant use of colors and unique patterns created with
acrylics, alcohol inks, and resin have gained her recognition and
appreciation in the art world.
“Aakanksha” means ambitious desire and “Kshatriya” is a term used to define
a person who holds the heat of a queen and the courage of a warrior. These
qualities are imbibed in AK, making her a fearless artist,
in pursuit of the purest yet grandest expression of
art – flow.
Aakanksha’s work evokes a sense of peace,
harmony, and positive energy, promoting these
qualities and helping people realize their divine
purpose. Branded as “Art by AK,” Aakanksha’s
first piece, Sky flow, was released in 2022,
and since then, her artistic journey has been
nothing short of a miracle. Her work has been
showcased at various art exhibitions and events
in Dubai, including the “Ekta’23” and “World
art Dubai” exhibitions. These exhibitions have
helped her gain more recognition and opened up
opportunities for her to connect with other artists and
enthusiasts.
She is determined to use this platform to uplift
society through creative transformation.
“Inspired by the flow of nature, the colours
of the sun, the peace of water, the freshness
of rain drops and the wildness of thunder
- ArtbyAK is an expression of the purity of
life force - the flow that brings us peace,”
says Aakanksha.
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Albert Kiefer
Brazil
Self-taught digital artist Albert Kiefer has made the decision to return
to drawing as well. He creates artistic impressions and visualisations
for business and governmental clients during the day. From items
to historical reconstructions of structures and complexes, these
representations cover a wide variety.
He has experience as a skilled digital artist and has also studied conventional
painting and sketching. He became a perfectionist over time as a result of his
computer work, and for many years he completely abandoned traditional work
methods. He put off making that choice for a very long time
since his perfectionism prevented him from using his
traditional drawing skills once more.
At the start of his drawing journey, that was utterly
unclear. When he had to choose a subject to sketch,
that quickly became an issue because he wanted to
create a new sketch every day! Being a computer artist,
he spends a lot of the day sitting down.
He calls his aesthetic and writing
approach “visual writing.” When he is
laying down the linework, he simply
moves his fineliners in a nearly
continuous flow. He doesn’t want
to go too literal because that
would slow him down and
make things sluggish.
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Bala Nivetha
India
The Artist Bala Nivetha was born and brought up in Tamil Nadu, India. Ever
since childhood, she has been interested in arts and crafts, which made her
choose fashion design as her major in college, and she later graduated with
her master’s in fashion design. Bala knew she always wanted to
do something creative. But life got in the way when she took a break
once she began busily supporting her husband’s business.
“Taking art as a profession started during my post-graduation
days when I used to market and sell my handcrafted products, like
personalized gifts and jewelry, via Facebook,” says Bala.
The 2020 COVID-19 outbreak and the
quarantine period gave her the moment to
reflect, which reignited her passion for
her art career, and then the Instagram
platform allowed her to do just that.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Bala
became an art educator, teaching her
students art styles such as acrylic
paintings, mandalas, and resin.
Her current interest in sculpture
painting techniques led her to
include them in her sessions.
“To teach art has been a newfound
passion - for the past couple of years,
and it feels even more joyful to
transform the magic I know to others
as well. To see someone, enjoy the same thing
that I do is a blessing. Interacting with new
people and exchanging ideas and perspectives on art
is something beautiful,” says Bala.
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following

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Bathmawathy G
India
Bathmawathy is a self-taught 19 years old wildlife artist from
Coimbatore, India. During the Covid outbreak, she found her
passion for art and specializes in oil paint, acrylic paint, resin,
pastels, charcoal, and gold leaf. Bathmawathy creates art to raise
awareness about the importance of preserving wildlife
and their habitats, capturing the emotion of each
creature through their eyes. She has won numerous
awards for her artwork, including the Gold Medal
Award in the FAG International art competition,
Bronze Award in the Camelback gallery ‘Into the
Wild’ competition, and the Special Recognition
Award in the Light Space Time ‘11th Nature’ Art
Competition, among others. Bathmawathy has also
been featured in the Top 100 artists worldwide in
the Hashtag Kalakar Art Competition. Bathmawathy
believes that animals are often neglected and hunted
down for their parts or lose their homes due
to human interference and negligence.
Through her art, she brings these
creatures to life on the canvas,
demonstrating their beauty and
importance to the world.
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“I have always been fascinated
by wildlife and chose to become
a Wildlife artist to create
awareness about these amazing
beings,” says Bathmawathy

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Christiane Vleugels
Belgium
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Christiane Vleugels is a Belgian artist who is recognized
for her hyper-realistic approach. Her stunning images
enthrall and allow us to share in a powerful emotional
experience. Her work represents the worldview and
sympathy for her subjects, particularly those who cannot speak for
themselves, such as traumatized women, her bereaved father, or
even animals.
Although her art is classified as hyperrealism, a closer
examination reveals that there is much more beyond the
surface of the perfect models she paints. Not only does she
adore the subject, which began typically as photographs
of her girls, she also adores the feeling of an ethereal
ambiance that oozes dramatic beauty and splendor.
Women who are wounded, powerful, glamorous,
seductive, pensive have proven to be an endless source
of inspiration for her. She represents them in a hyperrealistic
way, occasionally with a tinge of magic to bring
the viewer further into the physical or conceptual
realm of her work.
Christiane’s art has progressed from romantic
pictures to animal portraits to images with a deeper
meaning throughout time. She traveled to Germany
where she saw an opportunity to expose her art
widely. Her works have been exhibited in Egypt and
the United Kingdom, among other places. She now
works completely for ‘IbexMasters,’ an art collective
dedicated to assisting exceptional artists. This
sponsorship allowed her to continue to develop and
work with professional models.

25

Camelia Mohebi
Ukraine
Camelia Mohebi is a visual artist, designer, director and
entrepreneur. camelia draws inspiration from people, senses and
the subconscious/emotional mind. She first started expressing
herself through art by drawing people and faces.
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In combining her knowledge of art, broad life experiences and
understanding of the human psyche, she creates unique
pieces that make one ponder crucial elements of
psychology, theology, physics and metaphysics.
Camelia often generates art — be it digitally, on
canvas, leather, velvet, wood and mixed medium
— using acoustic frequencies and sounds.
“Frequencies — created by instruments of man and
nature — envelop us. How and to what degree these
omitted and received waves affect us is still often
hidden or unknown,” says Camelia
“For a period of two years, I isolated myself from
mainstream media frequency generators and listened
to binaural beats with subliminal messages” says Camelia
and she also mentions how this resulted in major
behavioral changes. Before her career as an Emirati
artist, she worked in banking and marketing,
and had her own children’s brand babybling.
Camelia was born in 1978 and studied in
Dubai, Tehran, Geneva and London. She
holds a BA in Visual Communication
minor in Illustration and Graphic Design,
and Certificates in Neuro-Linguistic
Programming, Theta Healing and Art
Therapy.

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“Great things are not done
by impulse, but by a series
of small things brought
together.”
Vincent Van Gogh
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Dr. Ajit Gadekar
India
Dr. Ajit Gadekar is an Indian artist
who currently resides in the UAE.
He is the head of the division of
neonatology, but he also has a
remarkable talent for landscape paintings
in oil medium. Despite having no prior
experience in art, Dr. Gadekar accidentally
discovered canvas painting in 2019 while
exploring digital art and has since achieved
remarkable success in just a few years.
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His love for nature and its beauty is reflected in his paintings, which are a unique combination of realism and a painterly quality. Dr.
Gadekar spends several days working on each piece, carefully layering the paint to create depth and a sense of three-dimensionality on a
two-dimensional surface. His ultimate goal is to achieve a level of realism that captures the illusion of light, atmosphere, and perspective in
the natural world.
Dr. Gadekar’s success in the art world is especially notable given his demanding profession as a neonatologist. However, he has found a
way to balance his medical work with his artistic pursuits, demonstrating that it is possible to make time for what matters most.
His paintings have been showcased at prestigious events such as the World Art Dubai exhibition, The Hotel show held at Dubai WTC, and
the Artoze Art competition held in Ajman, UAE, where he won the Best Technique award in 2021. Dr. Gadekar has also participated in various
live painting events, including the “Wall of the Creatives” at INDEX show 2022 at Dubai World Trade Centre and a live painting event at the
Consulate General of India in Dubai in August 2022.
Overall, Dr. Gadekar’s story is an inspiration to follow our passions, never stop learning, and appreciate the beauty and richness of the
world around us. His art is a testament to the beauty of nature and the power of creativity to enrich our lives. Through his paintings, Dr.
Gadekar hopes to inspire others to take a closer look at the world around them and appreciate its wonder and complexity.

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Debbie Wingham
United Arab Emirates
Debbie Wingham, an artist based in the UAE took her art to
a new level by thinking out of the box- which led to what is
dubbed as the world’s most expensive black diamond dress.
It was the start of what would become her signature in the art
world; diamonds and lots of it. She has released an art collection around
the theme of ‘Time’ that pays homage to Dubai. The oil-painted collection,
named ‘Dubai Through the Years’ features
Dubai’s architecture including, Dubai Frame,
the Burj Khalifa, and the Dubai Creek Tower,
representing Dubai’s past present, and future.
She took the circular artwork one step further
with the exquisite frame that is dubbed the
most expensive picture frame in the world
currently. Studded with more than 10,000
individual diamonds, the frame includes
pointer diamonds, white diamonds, and
sapphire, making the frame itself 1.5 Million
pounds.
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Debbie debuted her first creation, the
stunning Black Diamond dress which broke
records, hailed as the world’s most expensive
dress at the time. At a price point of £3.5m,
the dress is adorned with 50 two-carat
black diamonds. Wingham’s portfolio
expands to creating the world’s most
expensive shoes. Worth Dhs55M, the
diamonds used are quite rare. She has
proved to be a diverse artist who can
make the ordinary into extraordinary
while pushing the boundaries of
conventional art.

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David Djiango
France
Born in January 1991, David Djiango grew up in the south of France. It’s in this
light-filled place that David becomes passionate about art. He developed his
taste for drawing and painting, in particular at the Bô workshop where he
learned the different techniques applied to art: charcoal, pencil, Indian ink,
and acrylic.
In 2010, he left his native region, the French Riviera, to settle in Paris and began
studying at Penninghen, a school of interior architecture, design & graphic art. “A
game of contrast
settles between the brightest and most mattified
spaces of my
plot” says David. A year later, convinced that
the future of
the architectural profession must integrate
current
ecological issues, David evolves towards an
eco-responsible
architecture.
He designs
materials while
He won his first
Architecture
houses with natural and renewable
preserving biodiversity and local resources.
student competition at the Ecole Spéciale of
in Paris in 2015 and carried out with their
workshop his first project composed
exclusively of bamboo in
Mancora, in the north of Peru.
“The multiplication of small
elements together creates an
architecture” says David.
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Dylan Gill
United Kingdom
Dylan Gill is a cubist artist who has defined cubism through his perspective
since 1999. He hails from London, United Kingdom, and draws inspiration
from the likes of Pablo Picasso, Fernand Leger & Marc Chagall.
Gill acquired a passion for art as a child and carried this passion to his
degree from Goldsmiths, the University of London in fine
arts. “My work explores the relationship between shape
& colour from my own perception of the world.” says
Dylan.
His work explores the relationship between shapes
and color used to visualize his perception of the
world around him. By doing so, Dylan Gill combines
abstractism and cubism to create a personal take on
both traditional and modern narratives of social
concepts and general happenings in the
world.
“Ever since I was young I have
been fascinated by human features.
Everybody is unique if you look close
enough.” For Gill, the perception of
shape is a vital component of how
one perceives art. By tapping into
that, viewers of his art are left with a
newfound understanding of shapes
and colors.
His works are created with acrylic
on paper. With the inception of NFTs,
he published his works on NFT
platforms like Known Origin and
Manifold NFT to reach a wider
audience.
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Fazel Shams
Iran
Fazel Shams is an Iranian calligraphic artist. The artist says “I
discovered Calligraphy as my talent and followed that very
strictly to manifest proper artworks in the middle age.” He
says after growing up struggling with his other secret talents,
Calligraphy has always had a higher point, so Fazel determined to start
the journey in 2018 as a professional Calligrapher. It is interesting to
know that the artist hasn’t even had a single course or coaching related to
this art. “Whatever I learned until today is the result of my self-studying
besides hard practising,” says the artist. After
providing quite professional art pieces among
art lovers both inside and outside of Iran,
Fazel had the golden opportunity to exhibit
his artworks in Nicolas Flamel’s gallery
in Paris which was a great success. “For
the first time, I produced an artwork for
the face of Rolex as well as Patek Philippe
watches, which can be considered as a
bold activity in Iran,” says Fazel who also
owns a permanent exhibition from the
beginning, which is why he doesn’t
participate in art exhibitions. His
works are well-known both in
Iran and internationally.
“For the first time, I produced an
artwork for the face of Rolex as
well as Patek Philippe watches,
which can be considered a bold
activity in Iran,” says Fazel
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Hassan Ragab
Egypt
Hassan is an Egyptian interdisciplinary designer/artist based in southern
California. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architectural design and his
experiences vary between Museography, Exhibition design, Computational
design, Furniture design, Architecture and Construction, Digital
Fabrication, and Conceptual art. Alongside his work as a computational designer;
Hassan is currently exploring the digital art scene using artificial intelligence.
Hassan believes creativity is such an intangible phenomenon that one can’t just
pinpoint a holistic definition. As human beings we have always managed to overcome
our limitations with the help of the tools we make;
through an initial understanding of cause and effect
we managed to take pre-existing elements, and
combine them in novel ways, thus unconsciously
making the ‘whole more than the sum of its
parts. ‘So, one could argue that creativity is
only a process of a parametric copy-paste;
where new ideas are the process of making
meaningful connections of what already
existed.
Hassan’s venture into ai-generated art has
been a fruitful one. Hassan further expresses
that over the past summer, new Ai diffusion
models have become accessible to the public. And
while using AI tools in creating artwork is causing
a huge debate over authenticity, ownership, and what
it means to be an artist; Hassan believes these tools are
here to stay as they present the creatives with the unique
opportunity to be able to generate artwork in such an
unprecedented method, speed, and context.
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Igor Dubovoy
Russia
Igor Dubovoy is an experienced artist from Russia whose paintings have
been featured in solo and group exhibitions internationally. Inspired
by his travels, Dubovoy paints city scenes and landscapes in oil and
watercolor on canvas. “I love to travel and, in my works, I reflect the
beauty of the world around us” says Igor.
The artist was born in 1972, Moscow, the capital of Russia. He still lives and
works there. His paintings are characterized by the presence of light and
their realist quality, transporting the viewer to different parts of the world. “I
have no special education in Art, but it does not prevent me from loving art”
says Igor.
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A great number of his paintings have scattered around
the world and settled in private collections in England,
America, Australia and Europe. Igor has participated in
various exhibitions including 2018 Art Life international
Art Festival Moscow and 2018 Exhibition in Museum of
Russian Art. NY. USA. After the International Exhibition
of Watercolors in Fabriano, Italy, his work
was selected for the Fabriano Watercolor
Museum.
In the artist’s opinion the attitude to
watercolor painting, has immensely
changed recently. Igor uses special
watercolor paper of leading
European manufacturers
for his works. The artist
depicts the world around us
in an exceptionally beautiful
manner with his artworks that
are usually oil painting or
watercolours.

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Irina Kukrusova
United Arab Emirates
Irina Kukrusova is a renowned professional
watercolour artist, with a particular focus on
painting animals using the alla prima technique,
and soft pastels. She has participated in
numerous international exhibitions and has been
recognized as a laureate for her outstanding work in
watercolours and pastels.
As a dedicated artist, Irina finds
inspiration in the natural
world and has a deep
connection with animals,
which she considers
her primary subjects.
She believes that the
beauty and majesty of
the animal kingdom
provide endless
opportunities for
creative countries
around the
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45

Ivan Valachovic
Slovakia
Ivan Valachovic, also known as zar4fussion in his social media handles,
was born in Slovakia a year after Czecho-Slovakia was dissolved. At
the age of 8, the artist was diagnosed with a syndrome where his joints
were known to be fragile as a glass. The artist considers this situation
very similar to that of Samuel L. Jackson in Unbreakable.
After the diagnosis, he had to visit every sanatory in his country for
almost 6 years in total. Which in the end helped him to recover 100%.
Owing to these situations, he was only able as a child to see parents only 6
months in a year, this is where he
developed a need for fantasy.
The artist used to draw a
spent in sanatory, but
it at 14 fully recovered,
drawing for a time. In
Ivan came across
in YouTube that
to relive his passion
helped him relax
the stress.
Ivan describes
beginning of his
in Discord really
and grow a lot
lot during his time
when he got out of
he forgot about
his adulthood,
AI videos
interested him
for art and
and release all
that in the
career people
helped him learn
better
“I believe that AI is the future. Not for
pictures itself, but
it can give you enough
inspiration
to actually make
something out of it.” Says
Ivan.
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47

Ismail Khayat
Iraq
Ismail worked hard throughout the years to express various themes through
his artwork, including stories about his early recollections, nature, the
history of his people, and women’s rights. The establishment of a new school
in the Middle East was the primary objective of his work; it was a milestone
that was successfully attained, and the effort put forth was well worth it. In
practically every item he creates, he frequently displays his emotions and his
outlook on life.
“Over the years, I strove to tell different stories with my artworks; stories about
my childhood memories, nature, the history of my people, and women’s rights. I
often express my feelings and vision for life in almost every piece I draw on,” says
Ismail.
He also discovers that he doesn’t worry too much about the materials he uses
for his sketches,
preferring instead to use repurposed
items like scrap
wood, fabric, and stones. He makes
his own papers
primarily because he enjoys making
paintings
appear dated. He primarily used
watercolor,
Chinese ink, pens, pencils, and
organic
materials for his drawings. The
majority of
his paintings are impressionistic
and
expressionistic, where he finds
peace and
harmony in nature and is inspired
by the
horrors committed against the
Kurds.
Among the aforementioned are some
examples of abstract and cubist art
experiments he has worked on. He
has devoted a portion of his
artwork to masks, the other
faces of theatre, as a gesture
of admiration for his wife’s
occupation as a thespian.
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49

Ira Volkova
Ukraine
Ira Volkova is an artist from Ukraine with over 20 years of
creative experience. In recent years, focusing on the topic of
floristics, the artist creates ethereal large-scale oil paintings
of different kinds of flowers.
She was born in a small town in the south of Ukraine. As a child,
Ira expresses that she can confidently say that her childhood
was happy and bright. It seems to me that during that period
I accumulated so much sunlight that I still give it back in my
paintings.
Ira also mentions that she has been drawing for as long as she
can remember. It was enough for her parents to give her a sheet of
paper and pencils - and the child was busy for several
hours. Therefore, she had no difficulties with
choosing a profession; from early
childhood, Ira firmly knew that she would
be an artist.
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“I’m inspired
endless variety.
common object
try to draw it”
the large format
allow people to
they
by nature in its
Even the most
changes when you
says Ira. She loves
of canvases. They
show much more than
are used to seeing. On
her canvases, a whole
macrocosm of petals, the
play of light and shadows,
sun glare are deploying.

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“I saw the angel in the
marble and carved
until I set him free.”
Michelangelo
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Juria Sabdani Ajijul
United Arab Emirates
Juria Sabdani Ajijul was born and raised in the city of Zamboanga
in the Philippines during the late 1980s. From an early age, Juria
developed an appreciation for the natural beauty of the world,
particularly the tropical islands of the Philippines, with their
diverse forms and bright hues. Although Juria enjoyed creating artwork
in her growing years, she never thought that her childhood dream of
becoming an artist would come true.
As someone who values humanitarian welfare and aims to give back
to society, Juria decided to pursue a career in healthcare. She earned
a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 2011 and also trained to become an
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), where she gained extensive
knowledge in prehospital emergency care. Her first experience of
resuscitating a patient was a life-changing event
for her, as it rekindled her compassion and
passion to make a difference in people’s
lives.
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In her free time, Juria uses her gifted
hands to create artwork. Her passion for
art has been with her since childhood
and continues to be an important part of
her life. Her diverse interests and skills
in both healthcare and the arts showcase
her versatility, creativity, and dedication
to making a difference in the world.
Juria’s journey is an inspiring one, as it
highlights the importance of pursuing
one’s passions and using them to make a
positive impact in society.
“The beauty we see in our minds is our
window to the world!” Says Juria

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Javid Tabatabaei
Iran
Born in 1973, in Tehran, Javid Tabatabaei is a well-known Iranian Artist. He earned
a certificate in graphic design from Montazeri High School in Isfahan, Iran, in
1994. In 2016, he graduated from Pakistan’s Mehran University and so far, holds 25
years of related experience.
Javid is a watercolor master from Iran who specializes in landscape painting. The
colors in his work are
usually brilliant, and he manages to recreate the
landscapes he paints
in an intriguing and enigmatic tone by making
excellent use of
contrast, lighting, and shadows. “In a painting,
you can convey
it all and express your own emotions from
what you see” says
Javid.
He earned
continue to be
world, including
many more. He
the International
2012.
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Javid
several awards, and his exhibits were and
shown in various countries throughout the
Russia, Albania, Switzerland, China, and
teaches watercolor classes and was a juror at
Watercolor Painting Competition in Turkey in
Tabatabaei is a painter who has been
working for over 20 years. Many group
and solo exhibits have been held all
over the world in countries such
as China, Turkey, Italy, Pakistan,
Japan, Serbia, and Canada. His
workshops were held both in
person and online.
“I love painting cityscapes! Each
city is so unique and interesting,
every place has its special
atmosphere, culture, and details”
says Javid.

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Khalil Abdulwahid
United Arab Emirates
Khalil Abdulwahid is an accomplished artist and art
professional currently serving as the Director of Fine Arts
Department at the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority. He holds
a degree in Workforce Education & Development from the
Pennsylvania State University and an Associate Degree in Computer
Aided Drafting & Design from the Pennsylvania
College of Technology-USA.
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Khalil has extensive experience working
in various art organizations and initiatives,
including serving as the Chairman of the
Emirates Fine Arts Society and curating the 30th
Emirates Fine Arts Society Annual Exhibition. He
is also an active member of the Advisory Board
of the Department of Visual Communication
at the American University of Dubai and
has served as a panelist on the Sheikha
Manal Young Artist Award 2012.
As an artist, Khalil has won
numerous awards and served
on the judging committees
for various art competitions
and exhibitions, contributing
significantly to the development
of the art scene in the UAE and
beyond. His vast experience, diverse
skills, and significant contributions
have made him a highly respected
figure within the art world.

An Abu Dhabi Festival 2016 Commission. Courtesy of the artist.Part of the ADMAF Art Collection. © ADMAF
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Kalopsia Wiz
United Arab Emirates
Kalopsia Wiz, an Indian artist pursuing a master’s degree in
international business management in Dubai, is a selftaught
artist, poet, and writer who has won numerous
awards for her work in various fields. She works with
various mediums, including sketching, painting, digital artwork,
poetry, writing, photography, and fashion. Kalopsia’s recent
accomplishments include winning the International Rabindranath
Tagore Literature Award for her poetry book “Elegy” and being
awarded second place at the Student Annual Art Show held at De
Montfort University Dubai. She has been recognized
internationally, winning awards such as the
International “Rembrandt Award” and the
“Albrecht Durer Award” for outstanding
artworks displayed at CreARTors Collective.
Kalopsia has also published her poetry book
“Elegy” on Amazon and pothi.com and written
articles featured on onlinemagazine.org.uk.
Apart from her artwork, Kalopsia has won
multiple awards like the Youth Achievers
Award by Glorious India Awards 2022
and the Medal for Art Contest Senior
Category (21-39 years) Season 4 by
Indian Art Factory. In conclusion,
Kalopsia Wiz is a talented and
hardworking artist, poet, and writer,
whose numerous achievements and
awards serve as a testament to her
passion for creativity.
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“Dream so big, you can’t
sleep,” says Kalopsia

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Kelly Eden
United States of America
Kelly Eden has lived a life worthy of the art she aspires to create:
dramatic, layered, vibrant, and unexpectedly meaningful.
When she was 17, she enrolled in the Denver School of the Arts and
fell in love with oil painting. She was only there for a short time before
graduating and moving to Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design.
There, she honed her skills as a painter and, in some
ways, as a model for her fellow artists, designing a very
effective social-media presence for herself. Her online
presence was so compelling that it quickly went viral,
attracting much attention to Kelly and her work.
She graced magazine covers as an alternative
model, generating a lot of interest in the “tattoo
pastel” aesthetic she represented at the time.
Several magazines spreads featured an intriguing
double feature with Kelly’s paintings alongside
photographs of herself. She leveraged her artistic
fame into a role as an “influencer” and a successful
YouTube personality. But after nearly ten years of
that life, Kelly was compelled to quit because of
the constant stress, self-doubt, and online abuse
she was receiving.
Eventually, with a new appreciation for
therapy, she began to rediscover her partially
neglected first love: painting. She now uses
paint to shape the good and bad notions
that have filled her life with self-compelling
significance.
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Labiba Ferhat
United Arab Emirates
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Labiba Ferhat is an optometrist turned artist from Algeria, currently based in Ajman, U.A.E. Her passion for art began during the Covid pandemic,
and since then, Labiba has been creating impressionist paintings that express people’s tales, emotions, and sensitivities. As a self-taught artist,
Labiba’s work is known for its ability to tell a story that is easy to comprehend. She uses various mediums and techniques to create her paintings,
and her work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries across the world, including Mumbai, India, and Paris, France.
Labiba’s first solo exhibition titled “The Dance of Colors” took place in Dubai in November 2022. She was appointed as the art ambassador of Algeria
for the Guinness World Records 2022, where she was involved in the “Most nationalities in an art lesson” challenge. Labiba has been awarded twice for
her performance in art, which showcases her dedication and hard work towards her passion.
Labiba takes inspiration from her mother, a famous and talented artist, and follows in her footsteps. Her art is not only visually appealing but
also conveys a message, making her work stand out in a crowd of artists. Labiba is an excellent example of how hard work, dedication, and
passion can lead to success and recognition in any field.
“I create and compose through color, curve, form and light with the desire of bringing to life what I see to make this moment immortal
through my painting,” says Labiba

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Lina Redford
Spain
Lina Redford is an exciting painter based in Spain who has
exhibited her work internationally. Inspired by her multicultural
background and people she met during her travels, Lina’s goal in
her art is to represent the uniqueness on a canvas. Currently living
in Spain Lina is inspired by nature and wildlife, producing a series focused
on animals. “The idea behind my art is to sculpt a persona onto the canvas,
breathe life into her character and shape her emotions. I try to capture
the magic of nature’s fleeting moment,
to try saving
the essence” says Lina. Her signature
subject is
Hummingbird, Lina adores how such a
tiny creature
can fit so much happiness of life.
According to the artist the idea
her art is to sculpt happiness onto
whether it is a person or a subject.
life into the character and shape
She tried to capture the magic of
fleeting moment, to try saving
the essence. “When you are
looking at the artwork - you
can smell the freshness
of fruits or feel the
weightlessness of
hummingbirds’ wings.
For this reason, I only
work with palette
knives and thick
layers of paint”
says Lina
behind
the canvas,
Breathe
emotions.
nature’s
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Mahfuzur Rahman
United Arab Emirates
Mahfuzur Rahman is a renowned Bangladeshi art curator,
contemporary artist, and art activist based in Dubai, UAE. He
has achieved numerous prestigious awards and recognitions,
including being listed in the Guinness World Records for
most nationalities in an art workshop, and has exhibited his work in over
50 international exhibitions and 10 national exhibitions. As an art curator
and activist, he has sponsored and organized 8 national and 5 international
exhibitions, showing his dedication to promoting the arts and giving a
platform to emerging artists.
Mahfuzur’s unique style, which he calls “Blended Impressionism,” combines
traditional impressionism with a contemporary approach. His work primarily
focuses on nature, specifically the expression of trees, and is created using oil
and acrylic on canvas. His bold and vibrant style and exploration of
nature have
garnered much attention in the art world,
with his work
praised for its ability to evoke emotion and
provoke
thought in the viewer. Overall, Mahfuzur
Rahman
is a highly accomplished artist and a
promising figure in the Middle East and
globally.
further
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His role as an art curator and activist
highlights his dedication to promoting
the arts and giving a platform to
emerging artists.
“My art is a reflection of my
soul, and I strive to convey
the beauty and depth of
life through my work,”
says Mahfuzur Rahman

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Michael Angelo Guadalupe
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican visual artist ‘Michael Angelo
Guadalupe’ is better known by his stage name,
Mago. He was born in New York and, when still
a little child, his family relocated to Puerto
Rico. He specializes in employing artificial
intelligence to produce stunning and distinctive
graphics that narrate tales from old myths,
religions, and histories.
He was raised in housing complexes where he was
always surrounded by inconveniences. Mago was
taken away from his family when he was 7
years old and placed in a foster home.
He came across literature about tales
and legends from the past during this
time, which would come to define
his life and serve as the basis for his
artistic creations.
He relocated to Miami after
graduating from high school,
where he was exposed to music
industry artists and art galleries.
He relocated to Chile after being
signed as an artist. The vastness
of the Andes would capture his
imagination and motivate him to
build fantastical worlds and landscapes.
“I aspire to create visual experiences
that give the absurd world of artificial
intelligence art human meaning.” Says
Michael.
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Malini Karani
United Arab Emirates
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Malini is a versatile artist whose passion for creativity is expressed through various mediums. Her early talent was showcased
in ‘The Young Times’ of the Khaleej Times and her pearl beading collection. Although her professional career is in interior
design and architecture, she continues to pursue her passion for painting and drawing, creating commissioned pieces for
family and friends, and participating in various exhibitions. Malini has a diverse painting style, which allows her to create
detailed artwork or sketches, depending on the project’s requirements. She also experiments with digital tools to create her work, as
seen in her participation in Ekta 2023 at the Theater of Digital Art in Dubai. Malini’s versatility as an artist is demonstrated by her ability
to work on different surfaces like canvas, walls, shoes, and ceramics. Through her regular practice of sketching and drawing, Malini
hones her skills and develops her creative vision. Overall, Malini’s artistic journey serves as an inspiration to follow one’s passion and
incorporate it into one’s life, regardless of the career path.
“I create art because I can express myself better through drawings than with words. I find it difficult to articulate my thoughts at the
best of times. But when I create artwork, it speaks for itself,” says Malini

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Maisoon Al-Rubeai
Iraq
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Maisoon Al-Rubeai was born in Baghdad in 1965. She completed a BEng of Architectural Engineering. In UK, she re-trained as a secondary
school teacher for Mathematics. It was only after her early retirement that she rediscovered her passion in painting. She went on to
produce many pieces that quickly attracted the attention of her friends and family. Before long, this self-taught artist began selling her
work on the internet to customers all over the world.
“The depiction of Arab women plays a pivotal part in art. Artists find it easy to carry their message through their depiction of the Arab women” Says
Maisoon
Her artwork is rooted in her Iraqi heritage and takes inspiration from famous artists such as Isam Alsaeed. Her abstract pieces evoke images of
old Baghdad, the faces of its people all seamlessly intertwined with the Kufic calligraphy that envelopes the walls of so many mosques and palaces of
that region. There are hints of nostalgia in her pieces, borne out with modernist brushwork, creating a special appeal for those who yearn for the land
between the two rivers.
From an Architect to an International Artist, she paints Iraqi women specifically and Arab women in general. The artist uses traditional and
cultural references which add a rural touch and she also paints women in an urban environment. Ultimately, Maisoon reflects themes such
as nostalgia, care, family, homeland, passion and love in her paintings.

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Maria Vasileva
Spain
Maria was born and brought up in the oldest city in the world
and the current European Capital of Culture,
Plovdiv, often known as the ‘City of Artists.’
She spent five years studying art at the
National High School of Stage and Film Design, the
only institution of its kind in the Balkans.
The artist acquired a variety of fine and applied
art techniques, including those in painting,
printing, sculpting, ceramics, make-up, and wigs,
which benefited the development of her creativity.
She took part in numerous exhibitions in Bulgaria,
where she also took first place in the national art
competition, The Water Source of Life.
Maria traveled to London after earning
her degree in Bulgaria, where she
studied graphic and digital design at
the University of Greenwich and
earned her degree in 2019. But
she has returned to painting
since receiving her degree since
it was her first love. During the
peak of the COVID pandemic,
Maria found Bob Ross’s Wet on
Wet technique of painting. Ever
since then, she has been painting
landscapes nonstop.
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Marina Chisty
United States of America
Marina Chisty is a Russian-American artist who currently lives
and works in NYC. Her abstract and figurative paintings
embody the dynamism and multiple faces of the city, trying to
grasp their distinctive differences and substantial equality as
human beings.
“Art can make us see the world in a new and eye-opening way” says
Marina. Marina approached art from a very young age, fostering her talent
in children’s art school in Russia. Her Russian roots are relevant in the
development of her creative identity, bringing her closer to abstraction and
the
symbolic use of color.
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Throughout her studies, Marina reflected
that art was her true purpose and continued
to hone her expertise. An undergraduate
education in Russia, combined with an MA in
Economics in the U.S., helped her to question
the practical aim of her art: she strives to
make an aesthetic but also concrete impact,
giving humanitarian support especially to
women in need.
Marina Chisty’s interest in painting
women, regardless of ethnicity or
physical features, derives from
her special connection with the
feminine world and concern for
women’s rights. As an artist, she
wants to create opportunities
to support women who are
underrepresented not only in the
art system but also in the broader
sphere of business.

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Matt Gondek
Spain
Matt Gondek is a Deconstructive Pop Artist, whose work is possessed with a punk rock spirit, celebrating rebellion and
destruction. With a visceral pop color palette and a disarmingly playful tone, he tears down cartoon idols, akin to
slaughtering our modern-day gods. Born in 1982, his creative voice is rooted in the 90s; as a true conduit of his generation
and their potentially pointless search for meaning and purpose amidst a cruel life in a flawed world. He boasts sold-out
exhibitions in his home of Los Angeles as well as in New York, Paris, and Hong Kong.
“My work is in response to what I consider our “modern day gods” (Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and other huge corporate characters),
paired with my love of Punk Rock and the ethos behind that such as anti-conformity and the tearing down of those false deities,” says
Matt.
His most recent successes include the Tokyo Exhibition’s “Missing Person” exhibit, featuring 15 new acrylic works from November
12 to December 2, together with drawings and screen prints. 300 uniquely handmade Fight Club Baseball bats with spikes specially
constructed and combined with an NFT component released in conjunction with MakersPlace.
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“Every child is an
artist. The problem is
how to remain an artist
once he/she grows up.”
Pablo Picasso
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NADA AL BARAZI
United Arab Emirates
Nada, a self-taught artist from Lebanon, has been passionate about
art since childhood. Since focusing on her craft in 2017, she uses
oil and acrylic paints to depict the organic beauty of nature. Nada
has participated in numerous exhibitions, including World Art
Dubai since 2018, the Louvre Museum in Paris, and the Townly Gallery in New
York. She has also participated in exhibitions promoting Arab
art and culture, such as the “Arab Art and Calligraphy”
exhibition at the Artist Playground by Pullman Hotels.
Nada uses her art to raise awareness about social
issues, participating in exhibitions for the Ministry of
Tolerance and Coexistence and the Gulf Association
for Disabilities, supporting exhibitions for children
with special needs and donating artwork.
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In 2022, Nada exhibited at the DIFC Art Nights,
the Gallery Vibes group exhibition, and had her
artwork displayed in Istanbul, Turkey, and the
Korea Museum. Her participation in exhibitions
and events earned her a long-term cultural
visa and a UAE Golden Visa. Nada’s
dedication to art and humanitarian
efforts showcases her passion for sharing
joy, happiness, and positivity with others.
“I always choose vibrant colors and
deep warmth for my artworks because
the world is a colorful place and I
have a message behind that, to spread
happiness and positivity once
people look at my paintings,” says
Nada

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Oumaima Choua
Netherlands
Oumaima Choua is a self-taught artist born in Netherlands. The artist comes
from a Moroccan heritage and she was born in 1997. Her hyperrealistic
portraits explore the psychology of her subjects by portraying them on large
canvasses.
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The artist has crafted her style over many years,
experimenting with shapes, textures, tones and different
things using her preferred medium of graphite and
charcoal. Oumaima uses her large scale works to evoke
the emotions, thoughts and feelings of her subjects
whilst capturing the essence of human experience.
“It’s important to challenge yourself in order to keep
growing learning and improving” says Oumaima.
Her striking use of light tone to immortalize the
figures in her work gives the artwork an ethereal
quality. Often bare skinned and in dramatic poses,
each work tells a story of not only the creative
process but also the artist’s own connection
with the figures she recreates.
Oumaima Choua describes that
drawing has been a part of her whole
life. As a curious and observant
youngster, she loved to explore the
colours and shapes found in her
surroundings owing to which her
imagination would run wild on the
blank pages. “When I draw, I lose track
of time. And that’s one of the many
reasons why I’m in love with what I do”
says Oumaima.

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Pranoti Karajgi
United Arab Emirates
Pranoti Karajgi is an Indian artist who has always used art
to express her creativity and individuality. She believes
that art reflects the state of the society we live in and
showcases the struggle and achievements
of a community. Her journey with clay began at
the age of 19 when she discovered the potential
of the Kumhars, a potter’s community in her
hometown of Jabalpur, India. She collaborated
with them to highlight their skills and talent and
held solo pottery exhibitions across multiple cities
in India, garnering appreciation throughout the art
community.
Pranoti’s passion for design and art led
her to practice interior design on small
and large-scale projects in India and UAE.
However, she returned to pottery in 2015,
this time exploring ceramic pottery.
She formalized her training under
the stewardship of NCECA felicitated
ceramicists Ray Meeker and Deborah
Smith, pioneers of studio pottery in
India. She also learned from renowned
ceramicists Elena Renkar, Adil Writer,
Akira Satake, Rakhi Kane Veena
Chandran, to name a few.
Pranoti primarily works in wheel
thrown and hand built pottery, with
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an emphasis on strong utilitarian forms and playful alterations and impressions. She is a
formalist who focuses on mastering each stage of the pottery making process and believes
in letting the clay speak for itself. Pranoti also teaches pottery on wheel and hand-built
ceramics at Dubai International Art Center. Her goal is to promote and educate people
about ceramics and through her work, bring to light the nuances of pottery making.
“Through my art I wish to bridge the gap between classical pottery techniques and
contemporary design and bring to light the beautiful marriage of earth and fire,” says
Pranoti Karajgi

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Peter Terrin
Belgium
Peter Terrin is an artist from Belgium who has always been
drawn to art. There were no defining or pivotal moments that
determined the course of his life. His need to paint has always
been as vital as breathing and eating; providing the necessary fuel
for the mind and soul. His passion for people was reinforced through years
of travel after graduating from Textile Design School in Belgium. He blends
several artistic
styles and incorporates different ideas to
produce
something more than just a portrait.
Mexico’s
amazing blend of things drives him
insane; the
way they live, their customs, their cuisine,
their family
values, their music, and the spectacular
brilliant
colors with which they paint their homes.
If he had
he’d
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to sum up this subject in a single line,
answer, “Mexico gave me colors.” Peter
uses his unique style to capture emotion,
mood and feeling through pallet knives and
acrylic paint on large-scale canvas. To
keep things exciting for himself, he
changes his style every 2 to 3 years.
He supposes his style can be classified
as a modern form of expressionism.
This distinctive painting style gives
his work a lively expression. His past
exhibitions include Opening Terrin
Art Gallery, Tulum Mexico in 2020,
Solo Show Porsche, Cancun Mexico
in 2019, Imar Art Gallery, Mykonos
Greece in 2019, Jorge Mendez Art
Gallery, Palm Springs USA in 2019
among many others.

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Petterson Silva
Brazil
Petterson Silva was born in Brazil’s Mato Grosso. Young virtuoso
Silva attended the Centro Universitário Belas Artes in São Paulo,
initially displayed skill at five after learning about gouache in
preschool. Silva was raised in complete harmony with nature,
always in contact with the local birds. It helps to know a little bit about the
artist’s native country and formative years to appreciate the sentiment and
beauty of the scenes he paints on canvas.
His grandfather, a house painter who enjoyed painting Walt Disney
characters on plywood boards in his own time, served as his initial source
of inspiration. Petterson’s early studies of the great Italian masters Ticiano
Vecellio, a Renaissance painter, and Caravaggio, a Baroque painter, whose
works inspired and enchanted him, eventually led him to study them. As a
child, Petterson’s interest and admiration were for the great Brazilian artist
Candido Portinari.
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According to Petterson, the development of his
technique for his paintings was profoundly affected
by his deep respect for the vivid light and shadow
in the works of these masters. The artist, who exhibits
hyper-realistic qualities, claims that he feels he has
not yet attained the desired outcomes, but he still
strives for perfection every day. He is meticulous and
works hard to capture the correct tone for each species
that appears in his work as well as to convey the
vibrant colors and unspoiled beauty of his
country.
Petterson won first place in 2009
at the Corumbá Art Salon in Brazil.
In 2016, he won first place at the
Brazilian Art Salon in Liechtenstein.

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Rabab Tantawy
Egypt
Rabab Tantawy, born in Cairo in 1971, grew up watching her mother draw and create. Although she did not pursue an artistic
profession from the start, Rabab maintained an interest in the arts and trained herself in several techniques. methods ranging from
extremely conventional materials such as oil painting to newer mediums such as spray paints
Rabab began her artistic career by participating in various shows and aggressively exploring street art. “A painting just comes
through you; you were just a vessel and all you had to do is show up” says Rabab.
The artist used a variety of materials to produce a lighthearted approach to the often-serious topics that underpin her work. Her primary
concerns are unification, community, and heritage.
While many artists approach these issues from a different standpoint, Rabab attempts to bridge the gap by rendering these subjects through
the perspective of universality. “Being an artist is about continually evolving your art and this happens by entertaining all those new and
different ideas” says Rabab.
Rabab is a gifted artist. She does not utilize preliminary drawings. Instead, she uses the canvas as a platform for direct download. There are
no expectations for a finished project. In some ways, the product is the process of production.
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97

Raisa Mariam
Rajan
United Arab Emirates
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Guinness World Record Holder artist Raisa Mariam Rajan is a multi-talented architect-artist and an entrepreneur
who uses art to express her love for nature. Her extensive travels have greatly influenced her artistic style, which
incorporates a variety of mediums such as sustainable materials, acrylic paints, alcohol ink, and charcoal to create
textured artworks on various surfaces. Rajan believes that incorporating nature into art can bring about new
transformations in visual representations and often infuses her paintings with the essential harmony and peace that she finds
in nature. She also incorporates crystals and sparkles into her art to channel positive energy. Rajan’s art has been exhibited in
over 40 exhibitions, 23 live art events, workshops, and panel talks worldwide. She is also the concept creator for the Guinness
World Record for organizing an art lesson with the most nationalities in an art lesson, with the aim of spreading awareness
about environmental sustainability in art. As an architect, Rajan aims to combine her skills with her passion for art to create
innovative and aesthetically pleasing spaces. Through her artwork, Rajan hopes to inspire and motivate people to appreciate
and preserve the natural world around them. Her artwork reflects her unique perspective on the world around her, which
is deeply rooted in her love for nature. Her artworks have been exhibited La Pedrera, UNESCO, Barcelona, Spain, Qatar
International Art Fair, Transversal Italy, World Art Dubai, Azerbhaijan, Montenegro, UAE, and many more.

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Rafa Tom
United Arab Emirates
Rafa Tom is a fine art professional and art educator based in Dubai,
UAE. She has lived in several countries, including Lebanon, Canada,
and Saudi Arabia, refining her skills and participating in numerous
exhibitions and symposiums worldwide. Rafa holds a Bachelor’s
degree of Arts from the Fine Art College at the Lebanese University, where she
studied different art techniques. Her passion for painting and art began at an
early age, and she has worked with various materials and mediums.
Rafa has produced many artworks and participated in numerous art
exhibitions in and outside the UAE, including Europe. Her works have been
featured in several international art magazines, and her exceptional artistic
skills and contributions have earned her several awards and recognitions,
including the Leonardo Da Vinci Prize and Award, Qatar International Art
Festival, and Caravaggio International Award, among others.
Rafa was awarded La Palma D’Oro Award in
Monte Carlo France 2022, received the Art
Olympic Medal 2021 from Rome, Coupe
du monde des Arts 23, Donatello Award
Florence 2023 and Caravaggio Award
2023. Her artworks can be found in
the Artist International Encyclopedia
of Contemporary Art 22 and in the
Masters of Art Book 2023 and in
different international Art Magazines
“I aim to be recognized as one of
the leading fine art professionals
internationally,” says Rafa
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Rafael Antonio
Colombia
Rafael Antonio Fonseca Acevedo was born in Bogotá, Colombia
on May 17 in 1988. He is a truly exceptional hyperrealist artist.
At an early age, he showed an interest in drawing, where he
explored various techniques and materials, especially graphite.
In his last years of Architecture, he decided to return to his passion for
drawing and art, thus discovering a revolutionary painting tool, the art of
the airbrush. He decided to dedicate himself fully to acrylic and the art of
airbrush painting.
He was inclined by hyperrealism, thus
beginning to develop as the main theme
in his works, portrait, giving high value
to the connection of the gaze between
living beings using his airbrush as the
main tool and other mixed techniques.
He trained as a self-taught artist of
airbrush painting, developing his
artistic proposals and its deterioration
through human history, with a touch of
Magical Realism and critical perspective.
He seeks to captivate the viewer through
his meticulous painting technique. He does
not believe in just capturing a snapshot
in time but taking the viewer into a
visual journey that stirs the senses
and leaves a dramatic impression.
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Rohith Rao
United Arab Emirates
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Rohith Rao is an enthusiastic fine artist who has worked on more than 500 projects in Dubai over the course of his 16-year career as a
3D Art Director and 3D Generalist in the event business, TV commercials, and 3D animation.
Since he was a young boy, Rohith has been enamored by the complicated Japanese technique of origami. He realized his next huge
project, which is a sight to behold, as he was teaching the skill to his daughter. He received the First rank in his Bachelor of Fine Arts
in Applied Arts studies. In all of his work, he strives to produce an artistic outcome.
He has completed more than 500 projects in Dubai throughout his 16 years as a 3D Art Director.
He is currently a full-time freelance artist who, in the true spirit of Dubai, loves to combine technology with art in his work! His next
task is to bring this online-created fantasy picture to life. “Everything in origami depends on the right way to fold a square.” Says
Rohith
Since he began learning origami as a child, he has come to understand how everything in the art form depends on knowing how to
fold a square properly. As he and his daughter Vipanchi fold origami, Vipanchi expresses a desire to see the largest origami in Dubai.
“Combined with 3D and stock footage I was able to accomplish my daughter’s wish. One day I wish to see this fantasy in reality.” Says
Rohith.

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“When you go out to paint,
try to forget what objects
you have before you, a tree,
a house, a field, or whatever.
Merely think, here is a little
square of blue, here an
oblong of pink, here a streak
of yellow.”
Claude Monet
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Sheida Abdolrazagh
United Arab Emirates
Sheida, a UAE based visual artist, is quickly becoming a rising
star in the art world. With four years of education in design and
photography at the American University in Dubai, Sheida has
developed a unique artistic vision that blends Arabic design with
contemporary art.
For Sheida, creating art is a way to express herself and capture her ideas.
Her work is personal, often reflecting her own experiences and emotions.
However, she is also inspired by her cultural heritage and incorporates
elements of Arabic design into her pieces. She is fascinated by minimalism
and explores how complex messages can be conveyed with as little detail as
possible. Her art is a modern fusion of Arabic design and contemporary art,
with clean lines, bold colors, and striking compositions.
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Sheida’s artwork is visually stunning and deeply
meaningful. By adding cultural touches to her pieces,
she creates art that is both beautiful and thoughtprovoking.
She believes that art is a powerful tool
for self-expression, and she is committed to using
her skills to continue creating work that pushes
the boundaries of what is possible.
As an emerging artist, Sheida is excited to
continue exploring new artistic ideas and sharing
her unique perspective with the world. With her
passion and talent, Sheida is sure to become a
prominent figure in the art world.
“Having a wide selection of
opportunities only helps in the
improvement of the creative process. I
have discovered that combining ideas/
processes can always lead to a better
result,” says Sheida

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Shay
England
Shay, an artist based in south Devon, England, uses the
artistic moniker Shaymus for his work. He has been
using this name for
as long as he can recall.
With a recently
acquired BA (Hons)
in Illustration, he has
now focused
on creating realistic
portraiture of
dogs, wildlife, and
people.
He is grateful to have
all over the globe,
UK, Canada, Spain,
Zealand and more. He
commissions for
cats, but he also
requests
as
clients from
including the US,
Ireland, New
mainly receives
sketching dogs and
occasionally gets
for other animals such
birds, horses, and
other wildlife.
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111

Salwa Saeed Abel Ghani
Egypt
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Salwa Saeed Abel Ghani also known as Salwa Saeed is an
Egyptian Fine Artist born in Cairo in 1984. She has been
Living in the UAE since 2012, and the artist is currently
based in Al Ain. Salwa has completed her B.A.Photography,
cinema &TV from the faculty of Applied Arts -Egypt. She also
holds a Diploma of Multimedia from The Information Technology
Institute-Egypt.
After completing her graduation, Salwa started working as a
director of photography at NTN TV since 2008 till now. She has
the passion for art since she was 5 and Started in the field of
Art so early. When she turned 15, she won the 4th
position world award in the competition and
exhibition of International Health Organization
then she decided to be an artist and to study
art. “painting is necessary to live and express
feelings and thoughts in addition to connect
with people” says Salwa.
Her first solo exhibition was in Egypt
2010 and her last solo exhibition was in
April 2019 at the international Art fair
World Art Dubai. “I express my vision
of reality and feelings in a dreamy
way influenced by Impressionism,
romanticism and surrealism, mixed in a
new contemporary modern style” says
Salwa.

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Samia Saleh
Egypt
Samia Saleh is an internationally licensed trainer and
an artist from Egypt. Her journey as an artist began
when she was pulled out of fourth grade, and entered
an art interschool competition where
she won first place. She became wellknown
for fusing realistic portraiture
with abstract art. Samia explains
that “as a child, I grew up inspired by
my father’s photography talent. The
physicality of photography, paired with
the illusion of drawing and painting,
both charm the eye into believing.
“ She is actively interested in
the arts and fosters creativity
in the neighborhood through
her work in art studios and
educational initiatives. In
the UAE, Samia’s artwork has
been widely displayed.
“Without the ability to
actualize an idea or concept,
art would not exist. My work is
a constant search for the best
way to interpret the ideas that
I have about the world and
myself that I live in. I do not
limit myself to one medium,
style, or concept,” Samia says.
She firmly believes inspiration
and ideas change, and even
knowledge changes.
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115

Simona Constantin
Spain
Simona Constantin is a formally trained dental medicine doctor and former
orthodontist. Growing up with a natural talent for painting and winning several
art competitions in her childhood, she used her drawing skills in anatomy courses
during her medical training, always being inclined to showcase her natural
talents. Whatever
she pursued, she always returned to her first love and
passion.
After years of practicing Art in another form in the
orthodontics
field, she decided to pursue her art career, becoming a
portrait
artist living and working between Germany and Spain.
Taking
Instagram by storm and growing a remarkable
following in a short time allowed Simona to share
her inspiration and works with a vast community
of artists across the globe and reach prominent
collectors who were fascinated with her artworks.
She was always intrigued by faces and the emotions
behind them, creating portraits in her signature
style. Her body of work revolves around energy and
inner introspection, and she portrays and explores
that through the women she paints. Her large-scale
canvases express emotions, and she manages to
capture the viewer’s sight through her unique style,
making him emerge in another world.
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Stephanie Bridget
United Arab Emirates
Stephanie has always been interested in alternate realities. She
became a digital designer since she has always had a preference
for using unconventional technologies.; pencils instead of paint
brushes. Her drawings tend to have pink skies, flaming orange
hair, purple eyes, and greenish skin tones. She enjoys bringing out the
inner child, who likes to paint the sky white, the clouds blue, and the walls
colorful. She enjoys pushing limits and motivating not
only her clients but also established and aspiring
artists to draw from their souls—to connect
with their emotions and the things that give
them energy and let those things show in their
work. Since most of us look far and wide for
inspiration, in reality, it may be found within
the grounded version of oneself, it’s crucial to be
able to discover that motivation.
“You’ll love your work and others will appreciate
it because you found your niche, developed a
distinctive style, and stick to it. It involves getting
back up, doing new things, always learning,
and making sure your community
is safe, confident, and close-knit.
Having a strong group of artistic or
creatively oriented pals can help you
go somewhere, and you’ll also find
yourself through assisting others in
doing the same,” says Stephanie.
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VARSHA SUREKA
United Arab Emirates
Varsha Sureka is a proactively creative artist, an Indian National,
contributing to art community in Dubai for 13+ years, with a
Masters degree in Human Resource, a mom , a music lover, and
highly energetic. Her love for art emerged right from a very
tender age and it’s been her eternal love since then. Varsha brings with
her a wide range of art forms which includes Abstract, Resin, Landscape,
Mixed Media, Clay work and so
on. With her artforms, she
believes in giving words to
the unsaid enriching
them with life. Her artworks
have been exhibited
in Major Art Galleries,
Hotels, Malls, locally
& internationally. She
has been invited as
a judge and mentor for
many renowned
events and competitions.
She loves working
with the NGOs for the
especially abled
kids to lift them up
and she stands
firm for Equality. The
Cultural diversity
of UAE has always
been a strong area
of interest for
her and her
paintings
depicts the
same. She
has been
the most
soughtafter
artist
for
“Equality
Paintings”
in Dubai.
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