Art is subjective. But every artist needs to be given credit where credit is due. And Bahrain has no shortage of talented artists specializing in various mediums. So we thought we could shine a spotlight on some of these artists, in a segment called Local Artist of the Week. Our next feature? A member of Art Attack Krew, Fatima Alnaser.
Fatima Alnaser is an oil and multimedia artist. Let’s take a dive into her mind.
Local Artist of the Week
• Could you give our readers a general introduction about yourselves?
My name is Fatima Alnaser, 25 years old Bahraini acrylic & color pencils artist. And the reason why I became an artist is to express my own feelings and communicate with others through my art.
• How and Why did you join Art Attack Krew?
I joined ATK recently. I met the crew leader “Ayfu” at a sketch night at the raven’s nest cafe, and I thought it will be a great opportunity to join the crew since I’ve been struggling to find people who have the same interest to inspire me to make art again. It’s hard for me to find the right path to follow and joining the crew felt like I finally found out what path I want to walk in my life.
• What’s your background?
My interest in art began at an early age, the age of seven. Unfortunately, due to my study journey, I was not able to pursue art continuously and there was a period in which I stopped drawing either because of the lack of time or encouragement. In 2019 I realized that I’m so attached to arts and since I have the talent I should definitely pursue art again and this time I’ll focus on achieving my art goals.
• Could you tell us a little about your process? How an idea ultimately becomes a finished piece?
Mostly I’m inspired by nature, shadows, and people. It all starts with admiring something that makes me feel that I would like to see it in a painting. Then I imagine how it will be on the canvas and start painting. However, sometimes I might be inspired by people and their stories.
• Name three artists you’d like to be compared to
Can’t choose there are so many incredible artists. But I would like to be compared to artists who make people feel something whenever they look at their work, someone like Vincent van Gogh or Pablo Picasso. Also, I really admire realism artists. And when of my favorite artists is Abdal Hossain Mohaeni, he has a very inspiring story.
•What wouldn’t you do without?
Currently, I’m using acrylic and color pencils and if I didn’t have these art materials I would definitely switch to oil paint, spray can, or even watercolors. And what I love about art is you will find so many options to do any piece of art you wish to create.
•What memorable responses have you had to your work?
I started recently sharing my art with people, but the most precious response is my mom saying ”Mashallah” because she loved my painting. And all the support and love I received through social media encouraged me to keep going.
•What role do you think art plays in society? There’s this famous saying, “all good art comes from misery”. Do you agree with that?
Yes, I do agree. I’ve been struggling with depression and anxiety for the past two years and art literally saved me. Art was my gateway to reality. It enabled me to express my feelings and communicate with others; posting my art on social media helped me realize that my art is actually liked by people.
•What’s the biggest obstacle you have run into while pursuing art?
The biggest obstacle would be that I allowed myself to be criticized by people who never even tried holding a brush. And I realized the only thing that can stop me from pursuing art is my thoughts and the obstacles I planted in my mind. When pursuing art there will be so much to learn, so much effort to be given and all of these things can be managed by the artists once they focus on their goals and future visions.
Mashallah!
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