Sanaa Al Maktoum Portfolio

Sanaa Hasher Al Maktoumصنعاء بنت حشر آل مكتوم

Visual Artist

History

Heritage

Design

Preservation

Drawing

Children books

Culture

Illustration

Sana Almaktoum was born in 1994 in Dubai, UAE. After graduating from Latifa School for Girls in 2011 with a distinction she is currently studying visual arts in Zayed University. Sana works with a variety of mediums but mostly with pen, ink, and graphite. Her first exhibited artwork is a painting of a Dallah with perfume bottles (2014) which is on permanent display at the “Women’s Museum” in Deirah. Sana is concerned about the loss of culture and heritage in the UAE as she was inspired by Professor Rafia Ghubash who tries to preserve it and teach to the younger generation. Her second major source of inspiration for her artwork is her own love for horses. She is working on developing her own style using graphite and ink.Inspired by her favorite children’s book illustrator Shirley Hughes. Sana is currently working on honing her skills to create her own children’s books. In her spare time she has worked as a volunteer with children at “Al Noor Center” for special needs.

Biography

The loss of culture and heritage in the contemporary urban living in Dubai and the UAE concerns me the most. I believe that one of the most dangerous things that could happen is people not knowing anything about where they come from, just like Sheikh Zayed said, “A nation without a past is a nation without a present or a future”. My main inspiration for having this concern is the founder of the “women’s Museum” Dr. Rafia Ghubash who strives to preserve the identity of the UAE. Another person who has inspired me is the children’s book illustrator, Shirley Hughes. Her fun and engaging illustrations have stayed in my mind ever since childhood; I believe that its essential to be exposed to imaginatively illustrated books from an early age because it is a great way to teach children about culture and heritage while keeping their attention for a long time. I’m passionate about making illustrated children’s books and I am exploring the power of visual storytelling in artistic forms, through using fine liner and watercolors to develop my own illustration style.I have already started working towards my goal by having one of my paintings on permanent display in the “Women’s Museum” in Dairah. I also believe that well illustrated books can contribute to reaching out to the young audience and have them appreciate our culture and heritage. I’m excited to be part of this journey as an emerging artist and learn as I walk down this path.

Artist Statement

Falcon post card 1Graphic Design13 x 18 cm2014

Falcon post card 2Graphic design13 x 18 cm2014

The poster and post cards were inspired by an interview I did with my mother. I asked her about her life in the 80s. She told me about how her ifestyle changed from before she got married to after she got married.

Falcon posterGraphic design50 x 23 cm 2014

DRAWING

To me drawing is something raw and natural. All disciplines of art come back to drawing, it is the basis of them all.

TextureGraphite and ink pen on paper

30.5 x 30.5 cm2013

This is a drawing that aims to capture the textures of organic objects through using pencil (on the left side) and ink pen (on the right side).

UntitledGraphite on paper42 x 59.4 cm2014

ShoesBall point pen on paper42 x 59.4 cm2013

RashidGraphite on paper

30 x 42 cm2014

NaeeshatInk pen on paper40.5 x 47 cm2014

PAINTING

“Every portrait that is painted with feeling is a portrait of the artist, not of the sitter.” - Oscar Wilde

PavlovaWater color and color pencil on paper40.4 x 29.72014

This is a recipe painting, where I Placed the ingredeants to make a Pavlova In a composition and I worked on it from life.

UntitledWater mixable oil on canvas23.5 x 29.5 cm2014

HospitalityAcrylic and charcoal on canvas70 x 100 cm2014

Entering a traditional Emirati house you would always be welcomed by Arabic coffee and perfume. This painting of the Dallah (coffee flask) and two mirash bottles (perfume bottles) which I dedicated to the Women›s Museum a place full of the history of the Emirati woman. The calligraphy in this painting consists of the poetic words of Ousha Bint Khalifa (a woman poet from the UAE) I intentionally added it to merge culture and art and recreate the experience of welcoming visitors to an Emirati home.

UntitledAcrylic and Indian ink on paper49.5 x 41.5 cm2015

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photography is very simple in the way that it captures a moment in time. Yet it can be very powerful because the moment it captures is very real.

I wanted to move the sense of wonder in the viewer. I wand the viewer to wonder, what is inside that pot? does it taste good? Is the light coming from the pot? The work is aimed at both adults and children. I want children to ask questions, and adults to interact with them. I believe that the sense of wonder and wanting to know more can open up many opportunities, and that is what we should teach our children.

WonderPhotography

54.86 x 36.58 cm2014 - 2015

MomentPhotography121.92 x 182.88 cm2014

UntitledPhotography182.88 x 121.92 cm2014 - 2015

GRAPHIC DESIGN

“A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Art Nouveau deck of cardsGraphic design

10 x 16 cm2014 - 2015

For this project I designed ten cards of my choice. The theme behind the disign was Art Nouveau. Due to the use of organic elements in this movement, I assigned each suit a different flower, and I based my designes on organic forms.

Orient and OxidantNew Yorker Magazine CoverGraphic design20 x 27 cm2013

This is a project where I designed a cover for the New Yorker Magazine, and the theme was Orient and Oxident. Tthis cover was based on the idea of hunting with dogs, where the saluki reprasents the middle east and the basset hound reprasents western countries.