I Dream of Art, and Dreams Do Come True

Since I was in school, I have dreamt of finding a skilled caligrapher. This artists would do an artwork with verses from my favourite Surah in the Holy Quran: "Al Waqi'aa" - "The Event, The inevitable". In particular, I had envisioned the artwork to hold my favourite verses from the Surah, those that describe the heavens:

(9) And the foremost in the race, the foremost in the race: (10) Those are they who will be brought nigh (11) In gardens of delight; (12) A multitude of those of old (13) And a few of those of later time. (14) On lined couches, (15) Reclining therein face to face. (16) There wait on them immortal youths (17) With bowls and ewers and a cup from a pure spring (18) Wherefrom they get no aching of the head nor any madness, (19) And fruit that they prefer (20) And flesh of fowls that they desire. (21) And (there are) fair ones with wide, lovely eyes, (22) Like unto hidden pearls, (23) Reward for what they used to do. (24) There hear they no vain speaking nor recrimination (25) (Naught) but the saying: Peace, (and again) Peace.(26) And those on the right hand; what of those on the right hand? (27) Among thornless lote-trees (28) And clustered plantains, (29) And spreading shade, (30) And water gushing, (31) And fruit in plenty (32) Neither out of reach nor yet forbidden, (33) And raised couches; (34) Lo! We have created them a (new) creation (35) And made them virgins, (36) Lovers, friends, (37) For those on the right hand; (38) A multitude of those of old (39) And a multitude of those of later time. (40)

Many years later, as I find myself a working adult, I meet Majid Alyousef. Majid is an Iraqi gentleman who not only is an artist, but a calligrapher who was an apprentice in Basra under Abdul Kareem Al Ramadan.

So with the help of several cups of coffee, lunch meetings, dinner, discussions of our favourite series LOST, we discuss the concept. We agree on the verses that will be picked, as the verses are too many to be put in one artwork. We agree on what calligraphy fonts to use: thuluth or thuluth jali, naskh, deewani, or koofi. How does each calligraphy style  look like? The colors to be used, the paper to be used, where the paper will come from, the ink. Everything was a collaboration, though I trusted Majid so much that I gave him carte blanche on many things.

When Majid started working on the artwork, I had just gotten pregnant. Nine months later, my baby and the artwork were here.

Here is the evolution of the artwork from the sketches to the final result.