New dimension

National woman artist brings life to old art form


You had to view this exhibition in a two dimensional manner. First for it's unique form of expression, and secondly because the artist was a national woman. Indeed, Rowdha Al Dousary's 3D Decoupage Art Exhibition held at Al Muhairy Centre in Abu Dhabi last week was on an different track altogether.

Here you did not stumble across creative outpourings in oil, water-colours or any other method. Instead, Rowdha concentrated on showcasing an art she had picked up two years ago from an Indian expatriate. "This Indian woman taught me only once about this art and I trained myself after that for over a year," explains the shy Rowdha at the opening of her exhibition.

So what is 3D Decoupage art? This craft, which has been around ostensibly since the time of Mary Antoinette and Madame de Pompadour, has been revived of late. The art involves taking five or so identical art prints and then cutting, shaping, moulding and mounting the cut pieces with silicon gel to provide an elevation and create a three-dimensional effect.

The key lies in what and where to cut. There's a background, middle and foreground to the entire frame. According to Rowdha any person can learn this technique and create decoupage art. "But to make it better, to know in which areas to apply varnish to act as highlights, I believe, comes from being an artist," Rowdha claims.