A Rose For You

Oh, I just can't believe it! Almost a year! I don't want this blog to die. Not the idea of losing readers but the idea of keeping track of the stages of my life. This blog has been a really nice place where I was able to convey my thoughts and communicate with others.

Anyways, I hated the look of the shoes so I decided to post the first flower from our garden. We are so happy that we MOVED. It's been ten months now. We left the fourth floor and the beautiful view where you can see all of Amman and moved to a ground floor where we have a backyard and it worths it. We ate apricot, lemon and green cherries. We are waiting for grapes. I started gardening and I have plenty of plants. still trying and doing my best and experimenting the type of soil and what atmosphere certain plants prefer.

So, Karam graduated last week from his class. Ironically he will have to redo the class next year because officially he should be three years old to be in kindergarten. And he will in 20 days inshallah. My big baby boy is almost three now and my second baby boy is jumping inside of my belly as I am writing these words.

Oh, and a major change happened during the previous month. I rented a ceramic studio and started working and held a winter art camp for young girls. It went really nicely but closed it last week be prepared for the next baby. During this period I met people who can help me to go on with my ceramic career and I gallery owner visited my and loved my work and she wants me to display them at her gallery. Still working on that. and I also made over 30 ceramic artworks to prepare for a coming exhibition inshaAllah.

This is just an update, hopefully I will try to write at least monthly
That's all for now, see later

A Farewell Letter - GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ - A Hoax

I receive this email:

Gabriel Garcia Marquez has retired from public life due to health reasons: cancer of the lymph nodes. It seems that it is getting worse. He has sent his farewell letter to his friends, which has been translated and posted on the Internet. Please read and forward to any who might enjoy it. This is possibly, sadly, one of the last gifts to humanity from a true master. This short text, written by one of the most brilliant Latin Americans in recent times, is truly moving.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If for an instant God were to forget that I am a rag doll and gifted me with a piece of life, possibly I wouldn't say all that I think, but rather I would think of all that I say.

I would value things, not for their worth but for what they mean. I would sleep little, dream more, understanding that for each minute we close our eyes we lose sixty seconds of light.

I would walk when others hold back, I would wake when others sleep.

I would listen when others talk, and how I would enjoy a good chocolate ice cream!

If God were to give me a piece of life, I would dress simply, throw myself face first into the sun, baring not only my body but also my soul.

My God, if I had a heart, I would write my hate on ice, and wait for the sun to show.

Over the stars I would paint with a Van Gogh dream a Benedetti poem, and a Serrat song would be the serenade I'd offer to the moon. With my tears I would water roses, to feel the pain of their thorns, and the red kiss of their petals...

My God, if I had a piece of life... I wouldn't let a single day pass without telling the people I love that I love them. I would convince each woman and each man that they are my favorites, and I would live in love with love.

I would show men how very wrong they are to think that they cease to be in love when they grow old, not knowing that they grow old when they cease to be in love!

To a child I shall give wings, but I shall let him learn to fly on his own.

I would teach the old that death does not come with old age, but with forgetting. So much have I learned from you, oh men...

I have learned that everyone wants to live on the peak of the mountain, without knowing that real happiness is in how it is scaled.

I have learned that when a newborn child squeezes for the first time with his tiny fist his father's finger, he has him trapped forever.

I have learned that a man has the right to look down on another only when he has to help the other get to his feet.

From you I have learned so many things, but in truth they won't be of much use, for when I keep them within this suitcase, unhappily shall I be dying.

GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ
------------------------------
It was nice to read but I don't know it didn't make sense to me. It could be published with his short story or a biography or something. Anyways. I was searching about GenPet which turned out to be a hoax and . So I liked to search more in the Museum of Hoaxes and I ran across this letter which turned to be a hoax too.

This letter is very well written but why would someone have such a talent write something and claim it for someone else?

That's all for now

Doodle 4 Google :)

I've been enjoying the Google logo for a while now. Whenever I start the page and see a beautiful doodle I enjoy it and I do press the printscreen button and save that image.

These days you can vote for your favorite doodle :)

Google says:

The competition gives K-12 kids the opportunity to design their own Google logo and the winner appears on Google.com for a day so that hundreds of millions of searchers can enjoy it as well. In addition to the bragging rights, there are a number of great prizes including a college scholarship and computer's for the winner's school.

One of the dreams i liked:

Repair All The Worlds Breaks

I'm expressing my want to repair all the things that have been broken all over the world. This is what I would do if "I could do anything," because the world needs a little fixing, and wouldn't it be great if a small team of men came around fixing everything?

That's all for now
It's time to vote!

Doodle for Google :P

Salvation

Lately I've been busy because I'm exhibiting at Bastakiya Art Fair (BAF). But I'm not talking about arts today. Through a friend I was introduced to a young promising artist and she happened to be exhibiting on the next table. She drove me and R home one day, next day we drove her home and that's how we got the chance to chitchat about life, art and religion. Art Dubai happens to be same weekend with BAF, and there was no way I can make it. I was thinking of Art Bus but it leaves from Jumaira early morning and it's such a trouble for me to get there early after coming home later because of BAF.

While we were chatting we talked about exhibition and how -this year- they all happened to take place during the weekends only and how people in this country are tired that you just want to sleep or sit and do nothing for the weekend. We talked about Art Dubai and the craziness of modern art and then she said "We always attend events about everything and run for art exhibition but we rarely attend inspirational talk about our religion" and she added "I don't want to miss Dubai Peace Convention this year".

Her words rang in my head and I checked the website of the event and told my family about it and it happened that the next day I came home and my mother got this flyer advertising for the event. Next day she came and said that she and her family spent the Friday there and it was very pleasant to see the exhibition.

So we decided to go to the convention and then would drive to Bastakiya. But the plan did not work for the exhibition was not the kind that you would see on the fly nor some of the scholars talk were to be missed. Among them were Yusof Estes, Abdul Raheem Green, and Zakir Naik. So my friend and her family decided to stay, and to tell you the truth that made my day.

Sound speakers were everywhere in the building so people are able to listen to lectures wherever they may be. But when I got into the Salvation exhibition it was very calm. for the first moment I didn't like it. I wanted to listen while I was watching. But little did I know that this exhibition is something else from any exhibition I've ever been to. I would say this is a lifetime event that I wished I could invite everyone to experience. We were there girls but the moment we stepped in we forgot ourselves and each one of us took her own trip into this spectacular exhibition. I wish I can explain how it felt to take this mind opening trip.

The way of presenting the topic was very interesting that makes you want to stay there and meditate for every single word. As you can see in the picture above, there are pictures every couple of steps. Each on showing something along with words. There were moments very overwhelming that you can't help but shedding a tear with a smile on your face. They personalized it that it makes you feel it was designed for you only, espacially when I reached the idea of where were you 10 months before you were born, then the journey before birth, that leads you to a mirror.

I've been searching online to find a presentation or a PDF document to share the experience of the "Salvation international exhibition on Islam" with you but it seems I can't find any. Before I left I asked if there was a CD for the exhibition. They said they have only the book which I already taken. I hope someday such a book will be available for public and not just for those who visit the exhibition.

This is what I found. One is the answer we're looking for (click the line please)

And this is the intro that I found online but it's not the exact intro you found in the installation, but this is a brief idea of the intro. (click the lines please)

Thats all for now

Catching Up... with Me

Well it's not what I wanted to say but I have to share some updates so I can carry on blogging on other topics.

About the exhibition, I'm not sharing because I want to include a review and some photos so that will have to wait a bit.

My thesis, I found a CEO of an HRM company and will help me find answers to my study, insha allah.

My atelier, I'm spending about 6 hours per day and I just love it there. Today, my friend R came and helped me in loading the kiln. still have two more shelves and numbers of plates and stuff to add. I'm very excited about the glaze testing I'm doing. Let's pray the results will be satisfying. The girls pieces are already in the kiln and they made two full shelves. I hope their work will be nice.

The nabog tree is amazing this year. There's a carpet of nabog on the floor due to the windy weather we're having. But now the weather is getting hotter and worms started to eat the fruit from inside :S

 

It rained for two days and Sharjah's streets went horrible. It rained on the same day I went to my Calligraphy teacher's exhibition. Will share more about that but check this photo of the next day!

 

Two more cats came to the scene. One of them is black and I call "him" Fury Furry but this is the other cat's photo.

 

What else? my health? Thanks God I'm feeling great nothing is annoying me other then my morning allergy.

oh and my sister shared a picture on Facebook, of us and our neighbor in Baghdad. The photo was taken in 1989. what a horrible photo :|

oh oh and I'm participating in another exhibition next April insha Allah

I guess that's all for now
and I'll be back to share more :)

Inspired! and more :)

 

These days I feel inspired. I wish I can live in my atelier! (sepcially nabog tree is producing unbelievably big fruits this year, Masha Allah )But I'm still in the sketching phase. Can't wait to put all my ideas on paper and start playing with clay. I have so many ideas for different themes. I ran out of sketching paper and will have to buy a new sketch book soon.

Wednesday next week is going to be the inauguration of a big exhibition honoring the best student of Sharjah Institute of Arts over the last 10 years. I'm participating with two pieces (photos will be shared later). The ruler of Sharjah is attending the event.

That's all for now
Wish me luck :)

Hot .. out of the Kiln

 

Green Leaf

 

I'm still working on my thesis. Progress is something obvious but I still need to speed up more than just a little. I'm rewarding myself and earning my hours in playing with clay in my atelier. This is a tile which I made for gardens. It's part of a collection. Can be hanged on walls or put under the water tab of gardends or just to step on between isles :)

That's all for now

Hopeful

Another morning to wake up late and miss the walk to the lake. I'm disappointed but I hope I'll study more and make up for the early morning hours. I miss working on the wheel! I told myself if I finish this ammount of writing I'll reward myself and go to the atelier and work on the wheel. Let's see what will happen.

Meanwhile, I'm sharing this handmade plate which I made along with another bunch of plates but took me a while to glaze them and I'm still left with many biskit plates waiting to be coloured.

 

That's all for now
let's hope for more

Seeking Fresh Air

It's been a week since I started my morning walks to the lake. It all started when R called and said "I'm going for a walk to the lake, please don't say you're busy studying or talking to Khalid". I rolled my eyes for sure but kept telling her I meant to walk to the lake this week but needed a merical to get me out of bed. She made fun about me supporting her for going to the lake and tried to make sure that I'm not saying complements or going to the lake just because it's officially called Khalid's Lake. (where I have to add a secret here that KJ and I are planning to go to the lake soon and add the phrase "and Atta" on the lake sing :D )

So off to the lake, with my cap and tennis shoes on, ten minutes and I'm there. Looking at the magnificent view; the bring sun, a blue sky with cotton candy white clouds here and there, the sound of the waves along with birds songs. It's still too early to feel the burning sun of UAE but yet not that early to feel the coldness of the early morning.

Forgetting my study and the burden it puts on my shoulders with every morning, which feels like a monkey hanging over my neck, I take my steps smiling at the wonderful morning and crossing my fingers wishing I would accomplish something today.

Now I'm going through a weird phase where I want to share all about my dreams and plans as well as the huge amount of inspiration I have for making new collection of ceramics. But I find myself confused whether to publish my work and art using Attawie or should I start an official blog with my full name to post. If I started a new blog for my art are would I link it to this personal blog? Do I want Attawie blog, my den, to be public to friends and family, here where I write my words right from my thoughts? Not sure yet, but until then I'll be sharing here.

 

Snail

That's all for now
let's wait for more

Something Fishy is going on :D

I loved this piece of news when I read and and I missed looking at the design so I cam to see it on my blog but I discovered this post was never published! so here it is in case you missed it :)




I really admire the artist who designed this beautiful Jellyfish

Presenting Arts on a Tray

She spreads her imaginary wings and flies to her own glittery world, where the cause of her effect seems just normal, with a trick of magic of different colours, she flies and takes thee off to her Fairyland.

An Iraqi mom, inspired by the cute smiles of her little ones; Moved by their sweet laughter and paralyzed by their tiny tears. My friend, Nadia, decided to join the blogsphere and present you her arts on an artistic virtual tray. I leave you my friend to take an adventure in her world, to enjoy a taste of The Neverland on her Art Tray.

The sleepy moon goes rounds and rounds
Colored with rainbow; shyly smiles

Burdens with worries yet it hopes
bright your sky and bid you good night



That's all for now

My Arabic Calligraphy Homework Notebook

Ladies and gentlemen,

I'm proud to present to you the first set of alphabet of Arabic Calligraphy - Diwani style. This is the first movie I make from photos using Picasa 3. I don't have a scanner so I was using mobile cam, and my camera. Bad lighting and lazy me :)

Enjoy :)



I thought making a movie is better than posting 20 photos or more. if you can't view the video then check this or try the following online album:

Arabic Calligraphy

That's all for now

An Open Window to my World.. Have a Peek

First of all hi everyone
I miss blogging. I miss sharing (but not food). I miss writing poetry. I miss a lot of things but somehow 24 hours per day is very little and I'm wondering again if we could add 8 hours for sleeping to the 24 hours.

A lot happened during May. Many things took place apart than Bu Qtair experience my sister's airplane. But I'm not sharing everything :)
After celebrating my sister's birthday and hospital visit and checkups; I had the chance of meeting a group of Iraqi female bloggers. It was different from other meetings for we had an exact purpose for the meeting other than just to get to know one another (I'll think of sharing later).

A couple of visits to our relatives; they are leaving back to Germany for good. I'm going to miss those five little ones horribly. Whenever I see them I take bunch of photos knowing they are growing up so fast (mashaAllah) but never thought I see them off so soon. Yes, we Iraqis always travel, and yes we have to leave and say goodbye (as touta says) but the bad thing about it is that we never know when, where to, why and how.

As for my atelier, the unwelcomed visitor disappeared and I'm glad for that. Hopefully I won't see him again on the walls, ground, TV or anywhere else. As for my work, I've been working on a collection of letters as per N's request. She wanted me to make the initials of her little ones. If it turned out cute I might share some photos.

My sister Sana left to Amman and I have no one to annoy. The house seems so calm lately. I'm thinking of flying her airplane now but there's a missing battery.
Another reason for being busy, as if I don't have enough reasons, is that I joined the institute of Arabic Calligraphy and Ornament. It's something me and my friend R were thinking of since we were done with the Art institute. After about a year the plane was executed and it feels like we're back to kindergarten. Now I'm sharing photos but please NO laughs.

This is Diwani and you can read about it here. or just write Diwani in Google Images to see the beautiful photos available on the net.

 

Alf

 

Ba'

 

Dal

 

Ra'

Any my favorite so far, ladies and gentlemen, the Seen

 

That's all for now
and stop laughing at my handwriting

Faces of Happiness

My mentor accompanied me to visit Sharjah Museum of Arts. Face of Asia was exhibited here in UAE and I was very happy to see such great art work. He saw it three years back in UK and payed 80 pounds. It is a photography exhibition about Asia. here's a description:
"Face of Asia concentrates on Steven McCurry’s extensive work from Asia, including image from India, Afghanistan, as well as recent work from Cambodia and Tibet. The exhibition will show 100 of his photographs, including his extensive text covering the story of the " Afghan Girl " as a young refugee and the women found seventeen years later."

I loved the photo very much. Looking at the face of the young Afghani girl and looking at her after 17 years was very awkward. She seemed very silent and disturbed with being a model, I thought. Her face after 17 years was wrinkled as if she was very old. It looked cleaner though. She is trying to tell something. Starring at her for minutes and looking at her, eye to eye, and still I get nothing but pain.

After a while I got used to her stare and was able to move my eye to other parts of the photo. Her shawl was torn from many sides, her face wasn't clean, yet she seemed strong to me as lioness, prepared to attack to defend herself or her cubs.

I liked many other photos but it's hard to fine one online other than The Afghani Girl and the Fishermen (which you can find it in the first link.

These simple faces, simple people, and simple lives seem happy to me more than any face of billionaires I've ever seen. They've been through a lot and own so very little, yet they had it all.

.............................

I'm very happy these days, but watching the news made me feel a bit guilty of that. Because of the pain and sadness in Iraq and other places on earth, under the sky. People are being deprived from living their lives by being deprived of the simplest basic needs.
I came across this page and wanted to share these happiness quotes with you. Let's spread happiness people by at least making use of other's experience. As for some lazy people, here are some quotes I liked but you really need to check the rest if you're in pursuit of happiness.


Man is fond of counting his troubles, but he does not count his joys. If he counted them up as he ought to, he would see that every lot has enough happiness provided for it. ~Fyodor Dostoevsky

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up. ~Mark Twain

Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open. ~John Barrymore

Most of us believe in trying to make other people happy only if they can be happy in ways which we approve. ~Robert S. Lynd

People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost. ~H. Jackson Browne


The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet. ~James Openheim

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want. ~Margaret Young

Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling. ~Margaret Lee Runbeck

Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it. ~Jacques Prévert

Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or have gone stark raving mad. ~Norm Papernick

For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness. ~Author Unknown

The best way for a person to have happy thoughts is to count his blessings and not his cash. ~Author Unknown

You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life. ~Albert Camus


And with Sophocles's quote I'll leave you, wishing that Happiness may find its way to your hearts. oh and could someone remind people that Nizar Qabbani was wrong when he said:
"When a man has lost all sadness, he's a memory of a man"
or was it
"Man without sadness is a memory of a man"

When a man has lost all happiness, he's not alive. Call him a breathing corpse. ~Sophocles

That's all for now : )

Changes

This lyric was stuck on my mind for a while now and I just need to get it out. I haven’t heard this song for ages now. I used to love it and I do miss listening to this song or anything by 3DD but just like I stopped Metallica for a while I stopped so many stuff right now.

I’m going through changes though :)

I won the third place for the competition that I participated in. I don’t remember I told any of you about it but it’s an art competition on the UAE plane. The subject should be inspired form UAE heritage or developmental aspects about the country.
The competition is carried on by Emirates University – university social club/ Al Ain Emirate. I’m not going to brag here. I leave that for my parents and friends :)




These days I’m busy with another UAE event but in Sharjah. I remember two years back I wrote something about going to the Heritage Festival in Sharjah, it’s the same festival. But this time I’m not a visitor. I’m one of the participants in the art competition. It’s feels like we’re in Paris drawing and painting in the street where people pass by and look at our work and take photos. I’ve never liked such things and never considered doing so, but with most of the colleagues I know from the institute and some other Special Needs institute/ most of them deaf and mute, it became a very interesting experience.

I’ve always wanted to learn sign language and I had cards for alphabets and some important signs. I wish I can understand it especially when I see the news with a quarter of the screen a guy using signs to commune the news. Sometimes I try to relate between the spoken and the signs and learn but other times I give up and mute the sound and say whatever comes to my mind when I see his signs. My family like it when I used to do so and my sisters used to laugh hysterically.

But last week I met a bunch of sweet girls and guys from age 12 to late twenties, and all were deaf. it's my first time to meet deaf perople.My colleagues and I had to pay really, I mean really really good attention to know what these folks are trying to tell us. It was the first time for me to feel reall ignorant. They taught us many signs including the days of the weeks. At certain times they had to write to us on their palms what they wanted to say when we couldn’t get what the sign stands for. As for their names they show the letters and after giving us hard times to get them they gave us a paper with their names. They made real fools out of us! We learnt which country each one was from and I spent most of the time with an Iraqi girl who left Iraq three years back. I was amazed by her intelligence. She even had some words or let me say signs about war, occupation and what’s going on these days. It helped a lot that they already know how to read lips.

It’s been hectic for a while now; with my thesis, topics to discard and resources to find. I missed my friend N who just came back from Baghdad after a month. And my friend R is busy with her work and flu. I feel exhausted. I was studying and I fell asleep. It was a weird nap from 1:30- 5:30 pm. I woke up in the same world and same room but it felt as if my dream, which I cannot remember, downloaded new programs and now it’s time for me to review these programs and reset my life with the ones I need to keep.

I believe that every now and then one should take a moment and look at life from an objective point of view. Review all the givens, set any deviation right and see new opportunities.
I’m in the process of trying to make sketches for my up coming exhibition for Ramadhan. I’m changing my style and acquiring new one, at the same time I’m considering Arabic Calligraphy.

That’s all for now

Oh and I haven’t slept since yesterday morning. I’ve been staying up for a while now and two days back my grandma came form Germany. I know I didn’t say much about that but I have to dedicate an entire blog not a post just to express my feelings or joy and respect for this great women. I love her :)

Oh oh and I broke my fasting for chocolate :D not eating much but a couple of small pieces a day. And I ate “pinky candy clouds” as I love to call cotton candy, two days in a raw :))

Those Were Our Days

It has been so long since I attended a symphony orchestra concert. I’m not sure if it was late 2004 or early 2005 in Amman by the Jordanian symphony orchestra, which was Noor al Hussain Institute orchestra. Yesterday we were invited to a concert by the Emirates Youth Symphony orchestra at the Cultural & Scientific Association Auditorium (CSAA). At the same place, Dubai International Exhibition of the Arabic Calligraphy Art was held (21-30 February 2008/ the 5th session). My mentor recommended me to see the exhibition so I seized the opportunity and went with my dad and his friend, a well know Iraqi art critic.

The exhibition was great. Calligraphers from the Arab and Islam world were there but what made me proud, there was a showroom only for Iraqi calligraphy artists. There were so many exquisite works. I’m looking at the catalogue to mention a couple of names but it’s too hard, there’re many worth mentioning. But I have to say I saw a remarkable, modern red work by Mohammed alNoori, my mentor’s friend. It is simple but very catchy.

Another great Iraqi calligrapher is Wissam Shawkat who designed the calligraphy (mashq) in the “Jali Thuluth Atyle” on the front of the (CSAA) and he did a great job on that. I was surprised to know he’s only in his early 30s.
After the the Calligraphy exhibition we went to the concert hall. It was still early, therefore, we went to see Jana Kudsiova’s exhibition at the same building. She’s an artist from the Czech Republic, who moved to UAE in 1986 and is involved in many charitable activities. And currently she’s the Art Coordinator of Emirates Youth Symphony orchestra and the organiser of the Art exhibition. She’s created beautiful art pieces with wooden, back body of violins, on canvas.

When I saw the children with kind of UAE traditional uniform, the joy on their faces and their tiny violins in their hands, they reminded me of myself when I was their age. The first singing participation, I was only 3nd grad student. And my first orchestra participation I was 5th grader. It was only early 1990s and the country was going under dire circumstances but yet we were able to held concerts and do our best but more important we were able to enjoy it.

They played many Pieces but I enjoyed some better because I played those pieces when I was a member of Music and Ballet Symphony orchestra. They are: Radetzky March by J. Strauss, Hungarian Dance No 5 by J. Brahms, Sabres Dance by A. Khachaturian. While they were playing my fingers in my left hand kept dancing the tune and my right hand was moving the bow. I had tears in my eyes, missing those days when it was easy to enjoy music. Now the school, Music and Ballet, in Baghdad is suffering not only the lack of students and teachers but also the savagery of extremists who threatened both teachers and students. Many times the school was attacked in the name of Islam and that it represents evil by music and ballet. They burnt parts of it and destroyed the instruments’ store. I’m not sure what’s going on right now but I don’t believe its situation got better.

Many artists, musicians and ballet dancers graduated from this school, which was founded 1968. Most of the students are now playing and teaching music all over the world, to name a few:
Mohammed Othman: Pianist, composer, the conductor of the Jordanian Symphony orchestra
Abdullah Hassan: Violinist, composer who won many awards
Sultan al Khatib: Pianist & the Director of Research and Development at EVCTV
Kareem Kan’an Wasfi: Cellist

Let’s hope that we’ll witness the day when the school will be vibrant again and to provide Iraq with excellent artists and spread the joy by the sound of the music and bringing back the nights when we enjoyed the Nutcracker and the swan lake ballet.

..................................
PS: I wrote this post three days back but I didn’t post it. My colleague's father died and I just didn’t feel to post this. She is our youngest colleague at the institute, only 14 years old. They buried him in Sulaimania/ Iraq and came two days ago.May he rest in peace.

Paralyzed ... by a song :D

So, where have we been? Nowhere. It’s just the same old same old. This week is my last in the institute of Arts; I have to carry on with my study and finish my MBA. I’m practicing on the wheel for the time being and once I master it I’ll start to design my own potteries.

My grandpa left to Jordan but I’m staying in my small new room. It’s very cozy and closy (winking at my sister who used to mix the latter word with the former). But you know what it is really “closy” because I don’t have to walk through the room to get stuff from the bedside or the closet. I just sit on my chair and wander here and here (no there in the small room).

It’s Valentines again. I was wearing pink today but wasn’t celebrating. Just a coincident. But it reminded me of my teen time. At high school, my friends and I wearing our uniforms, we would wear red socks, red hairpins, and red scarf around our necks and we would hang small red ribbons on our jackets like badges. Exchanging cards and white stuffed bears carrying red hears with tons of I love yous and singing during the breaks some love songs. I guess Valentive form me then was just having fun and hanging out with my gang. Since I finished my high school I never took Valentine seriously. Doing my MBA, today I’m certain that these events serve only marketing strategies.

This year’s valentine’s song for me is “Paralyzed - by Finger Eleven”. Such a rocky song!!! It just makes me want to jump. I haven’t heard such a song for a while now, I guess since KT Tunstall’s “Hold on” and "Good Charlotte - I Don't Wanna Be In Love ”. Lately, I mean the three past days, I’ve been addicted to this song. I keep my radio on most of the times just waiting for it. They play it at least three times a day. I heard it during the morning show, the request lunch show (which is a request line mid-day show), and post-midnight rock. Actually I’m waiting for it right now.

My dad’s birthday was on the 7th this month. I baked him a cake which was too sweet but he likes it that way. I remember last year we had dinner at the “freedom to pay” restaurant, with our friends. This year we didn’t do anything special. The day next was my eldest sister’s birthday. We called her and I enjoyed chatting with her. That day I realized that one more month and I’ll be 25 years old. It seemed yesterday when I was posting about my 23rd birthday. I was almost shocked then to know I was turning 23 and I haven’t felt that I was a grown up.

I’m rambling about many stuff in here and I don’t think I have more to say for. That’s it for now and let’s call it a post.
OMG, the song is on. I'm gone *jumping*

My Exhibition: A Salute to Jawad Salim

After wandering and roving among my talents and hobbies, after searching for the right means to express myself and thoughts, I finally found myself accomplishing one of the biggest dreams of mine. It actually happened and I received the recognition I was looking for as an artist during the opening evening of my exhibition.

It started by accidentally executing two of Jawad Salim’s paintings on ceramic relief and the idea struck me “I can make an entire collection by recreating Jawad’s work with a different material”. With the encouragement of my mentor Wissam Al Hadad, I was able to complete more than 30 art works. Some of them were copying Jawad’s work but in different sizes and colours, others were compositions of the symbols he used and was known for, and also the recreating the Freedom Monument miniature.

There it was, ready and set, hanging on the walls of the gallery with spotlights on them, my works sparkled with glaze others with mat colours (as Jawad used to like his colours), and the bronze glaze for the Freedom Monument miniature. Old and current students of the Institute were the first to attend, then came the teachers and all of them were amazed by my work. Most of them had witnessed the early process of executing but they didn’t have the chance to see the finishing part due to the weather condition in UAE.

People started to come in on the sound of the Iraqi artist Kadhum Al Sahir’s limited edition only classical poem songs. The first guests were Sa’di Al Hadithi, Mohammed Al Jaza’ri (the best Iraqi art critic) Qassim Mohammed and his wife, Mahmood Abu al Abbas, Riyad Al Dabbagh (former dean of Mustansiriya University), an Egyptian sculptor, many Iraqi, Syrian and Arab artists and other people, later family members and friends started to arrive. Then a newspaper reporter asked for an interview and it was a bit crowded so we went in to the administration office with my teacher and the director of the Institute. After recording I went out for the opening as Mr Hisham al Madhloom arrived, it was even much more crowded. Two other newspaper reporters arrived and it was the time for the opening.

With the head of Art Directory, institute director, important guests and artists around me, and the photographer heading us, I started clarifying each piece and stories related to creating them. I don’t remember how long it took but all I could remember was me explaining and most of them nodding and others showing positive expressions on their faces. I saw the face of my mentor encouraging me and almost mouthing the same words I was saying. I felt I was glowing and everything was dark except me and my work.

After finishing the round I noticed my friends who were there from the MBA and the institute and other family members and relatives. Explaining here and their and taking photos, time flied by. The hours were passing by and I asked one of the teachers how long usually such events last. He said that an hour earlier but as long as people are still coming in and enjoying the exhibition we’ll stay until the last guest leaves. And we did. The last two guests to leave were two Syrian men. One of them was an architect and the other was a painter. They took two rounds and I joined them for the third. They asked about the materials and the kind of glaze and some other questions related to the compositions. They were very interested.

My parents were busy receiving the guests and giving directions on the phone with friends on how to get to the gallery. They were surprised because I didn’t show them the work earlier. They came as guests to see my work. I felt how proud of me and how they were happy for me.

I collected the flower bouquets I received as I was leaving and the janitor closed the door behind me. The place had never witnessed such important people or such number. The exhibition was the first personal ceramic exhibition in the history of the institute since it was established 1997. Everybody kept praising me and my creativity and I was blushing most of the times. It was a great start for me and I have to maintain such level and think of the next step.

P.S. Sharqiya (Iraqi tv) and Sharja TV came yesterday and filmed the exhibition and recorded interviews with me and my mentor and some of the guests and teachers.

Attawie from Sharjah al '3ariqa

So, some news updates! UAE has been praying for God to have rain since December 2007, Thursday was first day in Hijri calendar, Bush decided to come to UAE, what else, nothing except Attawie’s first personal exhibition is on the 16th.

With that Thursday off which makes it a three-day weekend, and Bush’s visit to Dubai which made Dubai give a day off, and the praying for rain has finally paid off, attawie’s invitation prints were delayed for a couple of days. It’s ok, no need to panic. Everyone has been informed by phone, e-mail or face to face conversation and by WOM (word of mouth). Still 300 card of invitation need to be distributed. Relatives and friends and some colleagues received their invitation. With a super ride with dad, attawie was able to spread the invitations in Ajman, the university, and Sharjah Lady Club. As for Dubai, it was so hectic and I couldn’t reach there because of the rain, only phone calls and emails were made.
Some people were able to reach my home and get the invitation themselves and they would help to distribute them.

As for the posters it was the institute’s and the department of art job. I only took some to place in the university, the lady club and our building. But it’s raining. They will be indoors ads.

I went to the institute today to hand the works on the walls. I know it’s late and the exhibition is tomorrow but yesterday I went and the administration hasn’t decided whether to put it in the first floor or the second. The second is better because the place is nicer. As for the first floor, there are some new huge machines which are impossible to move, are sitting in the middle of the hall. I’ll post photos to explain later. But I really don’t mind. I don’t want anything to bother me.

The woman in the administration, who was supposed to do the phone call invitations didn’t do her job, and with all the rain she couldn’t make it to the institute. I end up calling people to invite them. And since I’m very well known in the institute, didn’t just take the message, no no, they wanted to chitchat. I hardly made 7 phone calls and land line died as a result from the rain.

oh, and I heard that there will be two tv channels to cover the exhibition. Sharjah tv must be one of them and i'm worndering who's the second.

I hated Bush for coming and I hated the day off, and I really don’t give a damn about his visit or what he came to say. All that he says is just empty words within empty promises.

The rain is pouring down since yesterday and the streets are blocked. There’s no Sharjah anymore, there’s only Sharjah al ‘3ariqa (sinking sharjah)

I just wanted to clear my mind before the exhibition and write something in here and ask you all to pray for me and wish me luck.