Amina

I am an artist and educator whose practice is rooted in Islamic art patterns, a culturally diverse and rich tradition I have spent nearly a decade studying, researching, and teaching in schools, museums, and libraries. There is a difference between learning from books and online resources and learning from lived experience alongside local masters. I aspire to travel to close that gap, to connect with masters in the regions where these traditions originated, to learn from their hands, and to bring that knowledge back into my practice and community.

I found Fatma through VAWAA and was given a glimpse into the process and technique of Iznik ceramic painting through a master artist. I learned authentic techniques, natural pigments, Iznik motifs, and an artistic lineage behind a craft I had only encountered secondhand. My goal was not just personal enrichment but something deeper: learning directly from the people who carry these traditions supports their preservation and honors the artform. I like to share the joy of everything I learn through teaching.

This experience gave me far more than I anticipated. I gained hands-on technique, a material understanding of natural pigments and the Iznik painting process, and homework to continue practicing. Beyond the technical, I left with something more meaningful: a connection to this tradition, having made something real alongside a master who carries and preserves it.

It will directly shape my practice and my teaching. I can now speak to Iznik ceramic painting not from research but from lived encounter. It has renewed my conviction that traveling to learn from local artists and bringing that knowledge back into the classroom and studio is central to my practice.