Art was in my blood since birth. My paternal grandfather is a great artist, and creates many Arabic calligraphies, My paternal grandmother is incredibly craft-minded with knitting and paper-arts, my mother is a collage artist and creates artwork out of recycled mail, magazines, paper, etc, My sister is known for her skills with Henna designs and with creating intricate designs and crafts, my little brother is a phenomenal photographer, and many more.
Since childhood, I've loved to draw and paint. My grandparents and parents have whole drawers full of old drawings and scraps of paper with doodles on them that they've saved over the years. There is something relaxing and meaningful about art, that I love. I love that a blank piece if paper or a blank canvas can be transformed into a something so much more.
As I got older, I continued to create art work through middle school and high school. I used to love drawing and sketching people, and this decision led me to decided to apply to Syracuse University as a Fashion Design major. I thought that, as a Muslim woman, making clothes that were fashionable and trendy, yet modest would be a good way to use my creativity. However, a year into the program, I realized that while I loved designing, sewing was not my forte and I decided to take my professional career in a whole new direction by switching to Elementary and Special Education.
Through studying Education, I found that my creativity and interest in the arts could be used as well, through projects and thinking out of the box to come up with new and innovative lessons. I fell in love with teaching and the students I was working with.
During the winter break of sophomore year of college (2007), I realized that I really missed painting, and decided to start up again. This was when I made my first calligraphy. I started off by using a calligraphy that I found off the internet and using it with my own border and design. I really loved the way it turned out, and I had to continue. As I did more and more calligraphies, I was able to use basic arabic script and create designs with the calligraphy that were uniquely my own. Like many Muslims, I had learned how to read and write Arabic at a young age, and so was able to manipulate the letters and words to create my own designs.
I was inspired to create Arabic calligraphies largely through the work of my aunt Salma Arastu, who is known for her amazing paintings and sculptures. Her work is mesmerizing and takes you to a whole new world, and it inspired me to paint and make my own.
Along with my calligraphies and works with Arabic script, I also love to do paintings for my friends and take part in a few art shows and competitions in my home town.
This past summer, in July of 2012 I had my first booth at a local Eid Bazaar which turned out to be a success (alhum!). It was exciting to get my name out and to have people become familiar with my art work. Since then, I have had orders for custom paintings come from people in both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities in Albany.
As for my teaching career, I have recently finished my Masters in Literacy Education from the College of Saint Rose and am looking for full-time teaching jobs. My goal in life is to make a difference in the lives of as many people I can through teaching and through my art. I have been blessed with a wonderful family, fantastic friends and have grown up in a world without many difficulties, thanks to my Father who has worked so incredibly hard to get where he is in life, and so I feel it is a calling for me to help others achieve this as well.
I am so thankful for the opportunity that I have, the talent that I have been blessed with and all the support that my family and friends have given me in this endeavor.
I hope you enjoy my art work and please contact me with any questions or comments that you have!
-Almira Saifi
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