Iman Samir Ali

Egypt — From Upper Egypt, the journey of the artist and painter Shaimaa Azz Al-Arab began with art; a journey that was neither easy nor conventional, but rather shaped by a passion she inherited, challenges she faced, and a determination that drove her forward despite all obstacles, earning herself a place in the world of art and proving that a true dream does not stop at the boundaries of reality, but is reshaped through willpower and belief.

Shaimaa Azz Al-Arab inherited her passion for art from her late father, who was an engineer and a visual artist, but he was unable to teach her due to illness. Nevertheless, his presence remained a hidden source of inspiration pushing her to continue.

Shaimaa says that her family prioritized academic studies, so she practiced her hobby in secret, as if protecting her dream from being extinguished. When she entered university, her talent began to emerge. She participated in multiple art exhibitions in Cairo, where she met artists and professors from the Faculty of Fine Arts, who played an important role in supporting her. There, she did not just display her work; she learned, developed, and began building her artistic name step by step until she received several honors.

Regarding the support she received from professors who had a profound impact on her journey, she affirmed that words of encouragement were a strong motivation to continue, especially given that her field of study was far from the arts—she earned a Bachelor of Arts and a postgraduate diploma in education, and is currently pursuing her Master's degree, alongside working as a social worker. Despite the multitude of responsibilities, she never abandoned her passion, instead balancing work and her dream.

But the road was not paved only with colors; she faced real challenges, most notably the weak financial appreciation of art in some regions, especially in Upper Egypt, where paintings are sometimes treated as mere decorations. This disparity in artistic awareness, along with the high cost of materials, placed her before a difficult equation where she sometimes had to lower the prices of her works below cost.

Despite this, she never lost faith in what she does. She says her love for painting is the main driver, not financial gain. Therefore, she often travels to Cairo in search of better opportunities to market her work, where she finds greater appreciation for art.

Shaimaa Azz Al-Arab finds herself in oil painting, expressing her inner feelings through landscapes. She does not tend to adhere to a specific style or paint traditional portraits; rather, she prefers that her works emanate from her own feelings. Even her choice of colors is spontaneous during execution, without prior planning.

Alongside her paintings, she has expanded into other creative fields, such as candle making, which she displays alongside her artworks at "Kayan Bazaar," where it has met with public interest and encouragement. Her works have also begun to spread more widely and have achieved a noticeable presence.

Her journey did not stop at local borders; it reached the international level as she recently participated in art exhibitions in Germany and was honored there. A German magazine also featured her story, in addition to her receiving certificates of appreciation from Amsterdam and Berlin.

Despite all she has achieved, Shaimaa Azz Al-Arab still looks to the future with ambition. She dreams of owning her own exhibition space that bears her artistic signature, and of launching her distinctive brand in candle making. She also seeks to pass on her experience to children through training courses, believing in the importance of early support—something she missed at the beginning of her journey.