Strokes of brightness

Artists have a knack of discovering their careers at an early age. Self-taught Lebanese painter Abeer Ayash is no different. ,

Currently exhibiting her work at Town Center, Dubai, Abeer always wanted to pursue her love for painting and colours for as long as she can remember.

"My parents used to encourage me and my teachers were intrigued by my use of colours," says Abeer.

She held her first exhibition immediately after finishing college, where she used oil as her medium to paint a collection of traditional and neo-classical subjects – often using bright red or other strong colours as her background.

In Lebanon, her work was mainly about women and emotions. Paintings with mother and child, children, or nature as the backdrop captured the attention of many residents.

Her manipulation and fusion of colours and light attracted many curious onlookers towards her style of painting.

Over the years, Abeer experimented with a variety of themes and styles finally settling for acrylic painting as her medium. "I often work for many hours at a stretch and I chose acrylic because it dries faster. I also like the transparent effect that is possible with it," she says.

She has now been painting complex, semi-abstract pictures without any real subjects. Her work depicts definite strokes of colours and use of light and shadows. Abeer feels her paintings should not just be a picture, but a story that is enfolded within a canvas.

One of the paintings in her present collection is titled Fantasy, which is more a dream – a large bird with equally large wings within a spiral filled with multitude of colours.

Her vision is dark yet reflects beautiful light and passion with an almost fairytale-like approach to it.

Abeer gets her inspiration from travelling, reading and relating to issues around the world. She feels that through her work she can express what words cannot.

Her husband, who is also her critic, helps Abeer see balance, dimension and critical aspects of her work. "He is so supportive and really pushes me to express what I feel," she says.

Abeer's current exhibition is part of the Dubai Summer Surprises. She has had several shows in Sharjah, Fujairah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Lebanon. Her paintings are available for sale and viewing at several outlets.