Suad al Attar

Browsing through my new World Art book my eyes stop in one particular painting: Paradise in Blue by Suad al Attar. The painting is gorgeous: from indigo to cerulean to baby blue, forms like camels, palm trees , birds and fountains reminds you a new rich, fascinating Islamic world.

The artist's life is what have impressed me the most. There is not much information about her online but for what I found Suad was born on Baghdad, Iraq, but left the country with her husband and children to settle in London, aware of the problems that Hussein's regimen brought to her homeland. She studied art both at London and California, also making a degree in printmaking. In 1965 she became the first female Iraqi artist to have a solo exhibition in Baghdad!! She has traveled and received numerous awards from international exhibitions in Cairo, Brazil, London, Madrid, Poland and more.

I felt so inspired by her. Is a shame she is not that known, and that there isn't too much information about her online. Al Attar's work ranges from figures to still life, landscapes and decorative works which combine classical Islamic art forms of the Middle East, her roots, with modern Western influences, her new home. I imagine how strong, smart, and driven this woman must be to have obtained so much, in a country where women aren't able to have dreams, to live by their own rules.

She's an inspiration to all of us that have seemly impossible dreams, to know that things can be done, that everything is possible, that opportunities are there, waiting to be taken.

P.S. I have searched exhaustively for the painting Paradise in Blue, but I can't find it anywhere! Instead I posted another wonderful work of hers, titled Paradise Garden. If I find it , I'll post it promise!