in the Mission
Friday afternoon
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I grew up with my Egyptian Muslim father and with my Basque-Italian-American Catholic mother, first in Egypt, and then in California, and since 1997 here in San Francisco. All my life I’ve actively participated in different cultures, customs, and languages. I have learned to navigate the nuances of difference and have found comfort in the fluidity of my mixed identity. While the experiential variety of my life weaves a colorful tapestry, the awareness, knowledge and skills rising from such mingling of ideas and perspectives generates endless explorations for my artwork.
Our interconnections visually, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually are continually fascinating and inspiring to me. But to notice and really see, feel these connections, I have to continually refresh my ability to be present and to live in the moment. Everything in life has the potential for beauty and vitality if we just take the time and attention to be still, to use all of our senses with open minds and open hearts, and to allow ourselves to be moved. Eating well, traveling (even at home), dancing, painting, listening to live music, learning something new everyday and enjoying intimate conversations – this is what invigorates and helps me to see and to feel beauty or connection and then be moved to paint it.
San Francisco is a place I adore, a city where I continually get refreshed, where my desires are fed deliciously, where new ones become, and where daily I am reminded, often with a smile, of the wonderful variety in human expression encouraged to flourish here. Living in San Francisco feels like home more than anywhere I’ve ever lived - I love it!
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The rest of Soad's photo shoot is here.
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6 comments:
I first saw Soad dancing at Cellspace but was too intimidated to ask her to dance. I wound up dancing with her in a class at La Cumparsita and we joked around during the move we were practicing (the button on my shirt sleeve kept getting caught in the netting of her sweater/top).
I first saw her paintings at the reception/milonga Ney and Jennifer had for her. They were stunning. If I had the money, I would buy a handful of them. Maybe someday... It continually impresses me, the people I meet who create such beautiful things, poems, paintings, songs, photographs... and who just want the opportunity to share their passion with the rest of the world.
Such an interesting woman! Lovely images - art and photos.
gorgeous paintings and a beautiful story.
I like how you play with the notion of the exotic here. The picture you chose is so strong -- with the combination of veil and direct gaze. Soad's paintings are equally strong and vivid.
The story and the pictures go so perfectly together with this set. This idea of coming from different worlds but ending up in this moment, inside of who you are, living your life ... it's captured perfectly in the photos that you've chosen. Beautiful!
A most wonderful set... Thanks for revisiting it...
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