Where do you get your inspiration for your paintings?
Inspiration for a professional artist is not easy. I work from my memory, which is full of beauty, love, happiness and awareness of art. If there is inspiration, it is not literal in these sad days; I take it from the moments I experience such as a warm happy moments from the heart.
When did you first start painting?
Since I was a kid, like all poor kids, I expressed my needs that I could not reach in drawings. I am a sculptor, I won an international prize by the UNESCO for hunger and poverty; as a poor kid I drew a poster and won the 1st prize in the late 60’s or early 70’s. I received a cash prize yet at the time I felt more important than Picasso. It was fertile soil for me to believe that I am an artist and allowed me grow to be who I am today.
Did you have formal training and lessons?
I studied Fine Arts at the University of Damascus, I used to give lessons myself and I even worked on my graduation project from the first years.
You seem to focus strongly on painting women. What makes them more interesting subjects?
I think women are the most beautiful part of life. They are the soil of happiness, anxiety and giving. I can express myself in life through women. Women are always beautiful and giving and although they cause trouble in life, they are the essence of life.
How important do you think artistic expression is for youth today?
Art is a humanistic and very important language, and is a unit of measuring the civilization of countries. Art remains a huge tool of expression and without it we may not be able to prove our existence with happiness and beauty. As for youth, I hope that they keep the value of beauty for art because nowadays it is turning to be art of the brain, like installations etc. Which is somehow weird.
I hope they learn from the principles of art properly and where it springs from our culture, then they can change what they want. Now there is freedom for artists and even for youth who can invest in this freedom and thus prove themselves as artists for life.
