On reaching there, the first thing I felt was that the dried creek to me looked like the condition of the world to me. Each rock symbolizing a person, a life or a being. The water, which was meant to be there had dried, so these rocks have been exposed and left naked. I walked up and down the creek, and picked whichever one called me and started painting, one by one.

While painting, I looked up and wondered, if my ‘one’ rock that I paint would make a difference at all, when I looked from a distance, it was totally invisible and lost amongst the other unpainted ones, because there were more of them than the painted one. I felt that ‘one’ was how i felt in the world, being on my own in this massive world of all these other big huge rocks(people), and if at all i matter. A moment later I heard a reply:

“Just because it’s not visible in the big picture doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. To some you might be just another person in the world, but to some you are their world, so don’t worry too much about being visible or not, just be the real you, and always remember, the creek can have a thousand rocks, but you are still you and that’s more important!”

A moment later, again my restless brain wondered again, “If the pattern i see on the rock isnt even going to be visible to anyone, then why am I painting this?!”… again the voice replied:

“The bird flies everyday, do you stop to look at it?! The fishes are swimming, do you stop and look at them?! Just because no one is going to be looking at them, they don’t stop doing what they are meant to do!! Your calling is to ‘see’ people beyond what’s visible. See and hear their souls and bring to the world that mystic side of things, so people can understand and enjoy the magical universe we all live in.”

Being a warm day, Henna started drying really quickly and looked almost invisible, blending into the skin of the rocks. And as we know the brain just never stops working, my fear was, “it’s drying so quickly, oh no!! i should stop doing this and take pictures… aah my work is going to be lost!!!!!!”. Suddenly the birds started chirping extremely loudly, flew in one direction and the wind blew heavily for a few seconds totally helping me to come back to the moment, and I heard the voice again:

“It’s NOT about holding on to what you do and who you are. It’s all about moving on, learning, giving without expecting, growing and doing what you’re meant to do this moment and NOT worry about keeping it forever, because it’s seriously a useless exercise, that does nothing but make you jump into the future, that doesnt exist this second”

Usually when I paint, I have really REALLY LOUD music in my ears to block away any distractions. But while painting these rocks, I felt the immense need to connect more to the nature and listen to the surroundings to absorb the energy that would show through my patterns, as a reflection. As i put down the first rock after painting it, I realized that’s exactly what I do, when I paint people. I see through them, reaching out to their real inner self, bring it out on their skin and make them see a mirror, and till the Henna stays on them they remember me and themselves and feel happy, safe and alive.

This morning when I woke up, the first thing I read is the poem below. After reading this how can someone not believe in the magic of the world?!

You’ve no idea how hard I’ve looked for a gift to bring You. Nothing seemed right. What’s the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the ocean. Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient.

It’s no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these.

So, I’ve brought you a mirror.

Look at yourself and remember me.
- Jalaluddin Rumi

So many people as me, “How do I do it?!” I don’t really know…all I know is i don’t see you with my eyes, I feel you in my soul. With one look at you, you become my God. With a single touch on your skin, I start worshiping the sacred light inside you. It’s like a recharge for me. I touch, I feel and I live. I didn’t learn or practice this…I was born with it and i don’t know if something like this can be analyzed and taught to anyone through books or any other medium. You’ll have to breath in my soul to be able to experience and see things and people the way I do.

Try not to just see the rocks…try to feel, touch, hold and be with them. They do have magical powers as most things in the world. Enjoy your power within.

To see more pictures www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=425558&id=649730112

Mulberries from our backyard, Photography by Mustafa Zafar

When I was fairly young, I remember my sister Maria – http://mayazs.blogspot.com/ (Appo, a nick name we call her by even today) and me, used to go to our neighbors house to steal mulberries, because we absolutely LOVED them.

On a bike, in the afternoon, we used to head out in the burning hot sun, to steal some mulberries from the neighborhood. She used to bike and I used to be on the back seat. It was quite fun, sitting on the back seat and being taken around the block…but let me tell you one thing… to get on to that seat wasnt as easy as it sounds!! I had to run for about a min behind the bike and then jump on to it… some unfortunate times I would miss the seat, hit my bum on the ground, get up really quick and run behind the bike, so we wouldn’t get caught (Appo couldnt ride the bike with me sitting behind her from the start, the only way it worked was when I jumped on a moving bike! seriously dangerous but I would get such a kick out of it!!)

Anyway…we had to pick the mulberries slowly and softly, (an art we both had mastered, obviously!) so the people who owned the tree wouldn’t know we were stealing, because most of these people were friends of my parents. Thinking back now, I cannot understand, ‘why did we have to steal them?!’, we could have just asked them and it would have been fine…but I guess the only answer that comes to my mind was, ‘we must have done it for the thrill of it!‘. Luckily we never got caught, (as that would have really embarrassed our parents, I think!!), although we did have a few close calls with getting massive huge bruises here and there…but still our love for mulberries and the thrill attached to them, still lives today.

After years and years and lots more years, when I shifted into our new house, with a massive (more than 100 years old) Mulberry tree, I was thrilled, amazed and so happy! It’s like how when you wish or want something it comes to you in the moments when you least expect it. I always loved them, and wished we had a tree in our house, but I guess if I had had my wish then, I wouldn’t have it now. So every single day now, I make sure I sit with my mulberry tree, not only because it my wish that came true, but also because its a connection with my past that reminds me of my childhood and makes me laugh at the craziest things I have done when I was younger.I hope, pray nd wish my sisters would visit us one day and i can share an amazing Mulberry picking experience with them.

With the changing seasons, the tree changes how it looks. Big and bright in summer, letting the sunlight shine through it’s leaves gifting the red berries to it’s lovers. Shedding it’s leaves as autumn approaches, to let go and enjoys the cold wind hitting it’s branches. Becoming totally naked, in winter, absorbing all the sun it can, saving energy for the new beginning. Welcoming spring, with tiny tiny leaves, sprouting like little hands waving at the sun as they come back to life. The changing looks of our trees teaches me to never be the same ever and keep growing and moving on with every season, but remember the strong trunk stays still and steady and hence the soul inside me remains the same.

To some, this tree would just be a tree with yummy mulberries, but to me… it’s ‘Our Mulberry Tree of Blessings’. It teaches me to share my gifts with all who cross my path and how to keep growing along with keeping the child inside me alive. I love the unseen Allah, who has gifted me with this blessed tree as my teacher, my friend and my guide in the world filled with nature.

“Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens, author

Mel’s Precious belly that has my Henna work

I was approached by Mel a few weeks ago, to paint her pregnant belly. I always feel extremely grateful to people for giving me a chance to share such a special occasion with them. Being so far away from my family, I miss the regular family births that used to happen back home, and so when I get asked to become part of such a personal experience, I find it very hard to say no.

I invited Mel and her friend in my home, and we spent the afternoon, sitting together chatting about birth, life and the whole magical experience, sharing stories of different cultures.

After the beautiful Henna painting experience, Mel went home and sent a very touching email, which said “Thank you thank you thank you, a thousand thank yous!  My belly is so beautiful, and the experience of having you create it was amazing.  I am so glad that you are a part of this baby’s journey from inside my body to the outside world.  You have created a truly magical experience for baby and me, one that I will treasure always.  The energy and spirit that you brought to the process is a gift I will take with me into the experience of birth and beyond.  I am honoured to have had you contribute so richly to this final stage of my pregnancy. With warmest blessings, Mel”

I am totally speechless, for been given such a wonderful friend to share, one of lives miracle with. Thank you Mel !!

Beginning of a Beautiful Life – Photography Mustafa Zafar

Ibteda, in Urdu, (my language) means the beginning. Its the name given to my SALA 09 exhibition, by my husband, Mustafa Zafar. I am truly grateful to him because he’s the only reason, I shifted to Australia, and is responsible for our beautiful life here. We both recently became Australian citizens last month and so this exhibitions marks the beginning of our new journey in this scared land.

I still remember, I was working in my studio, late one night, back in Pakistan. He causally walked up to me, as I was concentrating on one of my pieces, and he said, ” I want to move to Australia!” and obviously I was so engrossed in my painting, I didn’t even make an eye contact, and said,” ummm ok?! but why Australia?!!!!” He replied,  “…because the Australians know how to laugh, and I want to be among them because they seem to be so happy!” – That was enough for me to say yes, lets do it!!!

Within six months we got the paper work done, and booked a flight to Adelaide. I have to say, I was so busy packing and saying good byes, I never asked him where we were going!! To me Australia was only Melbourne or Sydney and have never even heard of a place, Adelaide. After a very LONG, sick and terrible flight, we landed here, which then looked totally empty as it was after 5pm on a Saturday and everything was closed. On the way from the airport to our hostel, in the taxi, I asked Mustafa,” what’s this place called again?!”, took me a few days to remember the name, and pronounce it right!

After a few cultural shocks and some weird experiences, I was ready to go back home in six months. Then, by chance one day Mustafa on his way back from uni, got a flier that said, ‘looking for art work for a new shop, opening in the city’. I called the people, got myself the first interview ever, at the city Cibo. When I walked out, I wasn’t sure how it went, because I just really didn’t want to stay here and wanted to leave so badly, I just didn’t care. Mustafa just softly said in my ears, ” If they don’t take your work for their shop, trust me it’s their loss!!” That just changed everything in my life. I looked at him, and saw how much he believed in me and my work and that gave me the desire to believe in myself too.

The next day, I walked down Rundle mall making myself almost invisible, teary eyes and promised myself, ” The people of Adelaide, will LOVE ME, I will make them LOVE me!” It almost became an obsession (still is!) to be loved by people here, because I really wanted to stay for Mustafa and wanted to be Happy. Coming from a family, where I was extremely LOVED, made it harder for me, to know no one, and to also know the fact that no one really cares about me here.

While working at many different jobs, I kept teaching myself to grow and to become a better person. To learn about the people and to make an effort to reach out to make friends everywhere and anywhere I went. I worked during the day in the super market and came home and worked on my art at night…for four years tried not to charge for henna and just give, give and give all that I had to the people here, just to make them like me. Henna, the cultural thread I carry with me all the time, is my best friend and I started sharing her with everyone and anyone that came my way, in many different ways.

Once when working at the Gallery of SA, I met up with Adelaide’s most beautiful Willcox Family. Fell in love with each one of them in the first encounter, and prayed to see them again soon. A few months after, we met them again at Womad, where I was given the opportunity to work and share my Henna. As it was so busy, the first day, I still remember Simon and Victoria Willcox came back the next day early, only to be touched by my Henna.  They were there even before I was there and so that small, yet very kind gesture stayed with me the whole event. I felt like I was on top of the world because they made me feel extra special. Soon after that, they invited me to do Henna at one of their party, and that’s when I realized, how scared these people have become for me, as they were not only becoming my friends, but they also were teaching me the beautiful culture they belong to, and by welcoming us into their homes were making us their family.

A happy moment with the Willcox family, Photography by Mandi Whitten*

It was just a few months ago, when Simon just shifted his surgery, in Unley – http://hartdentalsa.com.au/ and asked me to do SALA there.  I was speechless, at the offer, and said YES! It is an extremely special exhibition, because it’s my first one after becoming an Australia citizen, and also the first solo show in Adelaide. I was blessed to have had Simon, his wife Victoria and daughters Amelia and Adelaide, support and encourage me throughout the preparation of this show. They and loveliest Heather ( who works for Simon!) organized every single thing, and all I had to do was create the paintings and put them up!! I dont think words are enough to thank these kind people for gifting me a chance to share my work with all and also to make us feel at home here and to make our dreams come true.

Ibteda, is an exhibition, that will always stay very close to my heart, as it marks the beginning of my journey into my own soul. I was thrilled to see the number of people, who had come along to be part of this special night with me. I felt extremely loved and satisfied, and believed in the magic of love that surrounds me. Even as i am writing this, the feeling of looking at those people standing in the crowd, shakes me from within. I looked around in that room, on the opening night, and didnt find a single stranger there… all the people who came were people I knew and called them my friends…that to me was an achievement, more than anything on that night. I just wish I am giving back something to all these lovely people, and pray to be always there to support them when needed.

In my speech that night, I got so nervous I forgot to thank the most important people in my life like Mustafa, our parents, and Simon and his family. Without their support I couldn’t have reached this far and just wanted to acknowledge them here on my blog.

In the end, I just want to say, dont wait for that perfect moment you think is going to come, because there is no perfect time but now. I couldn’t keep waiting for magic to happen, I realized magic was not only around me, but also within me, and there is no day better than today! So begin the magic, by believing in yourself today and letting go of your past, look straight into your future and have your IBTEDA today !!

Time we have together is nothing we can keep

So let us not talk of share and winnings

Wait and see what happens when you venture deep

And share the joy of new beginnings !

By Simon Willcox for Ibteda

If you want to see more pictures of the night and also of the models that were painted for the opening night, please click on http://bit.ly/Ibteda

*http://weensyweb.com/

I started painting the models for my opening of, ‘IBTEDA, The Beginning’, last night. This exhibition is part of SALA 09 and you can find out the details of the show on – http://www.diyastudio.com/newsletter/09/ibteda/ I will be posting the pictures of the people I will be painting and a little about the experience I share with them in my studio. Would love to hear your comments about the Henna hand creations!!

If you want to see more pictures of the models that were painted for the opening night, please click on http://bit.ly/Ibteda

I got to spend some lovely time with these 5 girls on the weekend. They visited the studio to celebrate Radha’s 8th birthday all dressed up fancy, in the indian clothes, looking extremely gorgeous. I felt so special sharing the Henna experience with each one of them. They reminded me of my childhood when all my cousins used to come together, to get Henna done before an eid, a wedding or some kind of special occasion.

I am glad, that I have been lucky to share my work with the people of this city, celebrating so many different occasions, starting from birthdays, to weddings, hens night, baby shower and so many more.  Usually i get invited to go to different parties, but I especially like welcoming people in my space, because that way I am able to give them the whole experience. I thank Radha’s mum, Luisa, who brought the girls over to me, so I could share my stories, culture and Henna with all of them. I appreciate your generosity, patience, time and support you’ve given my space and my art. Thank you so much !!

I was honored to have had the pleasure, of opening Mandi Whitten’s first solo exhibition, on the 5th of August as part of the SALA this year.

I met Mandi, a few years ago, when I was working at Womadelaide – http://womadelaide.com.au/ Our friendship grew pretty quick, and we both decided to work on an exhibition together for Sala Last year. It’s was an extremely special exhibition, because for me it she who represented the people of Australia and by doing an exhibition with me, she was accepting and welcoming me into her world. And I assume to Mandi, my trust in her would have symbolized how even a stranger from another world ( …planet at times!!) can understand and believe in her work, and so should she. For both of us it was the thread of passion, which was going to help us create a new web of friends , who support and encourage us, to bring together a world of happiness with our art. In case you didnt guess, the exhibition was called, “A. Thread. A Web. A World” -  http://athreadawebaworld.com/

Mandi, is one of the very few people who have had the chance to explore, experiment and enjoy her life to the full. She managed to travel right after her year 12, (London, Munich, Rome, USA) to explore the world she lives in. On coming back, she experimented with various jobs like picture framing and running a furniture making and designing business. And today, she’s been enjoying creating her beautiful pieces of art not only in the virtual world as a website designer and developer but also as an amazingly talented photographer – http://weensyweb.com/

This exhibition makes you look at the smaller and most important things in life. A tea cup you drink out of, a candle holder, you light when you want to have a peaceful dinner with someone you love, a little dinosaur your nephew/niece must have forgotten when he was playing in your back yard, a pack of cigarette that gives you a high or coffee which helps you get a kick start, are all part of our daily lives, which we tend to take for granted. We tend to need these smaller things, but for some reason, we over look their importance and start focusing on the bigger things, not realizing that if the smaller things weren’t there, the bigger things cant really happen.

As quoted by Mother Teresa, “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.”, and with this exhibition, Mandi has brought to life the importance of smaller things in life, which generally get unnoticed.

I am amazed at the diversity of her subjects always. In the exhibition, she’s made sure not only to focus on the photograph, but also the backgrounds. Each pictures takes you into a journey of not only the place the picture was taken, but also back in time. Usually a photograph is just simply put into the center, framed with flat white borders, and a signature and done… but Mandi’s pieces are stories that remind you to slow down, in your day, look around a bit more and enjoy the gifts of being alive.

“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.”
– Eleonora Duse

I hope and wish, people who buy the pieces, will always feel blessed to have such a special presence in their homes, and connect their own stories to these beautiful pieces of art. If you haven’t been to this show yet, make sure you do. You can check out the details on – http://www.weensyweb.com/coupdoeil/coupdoeil.html Or you can see more pictures of the opening night on – http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=101806783020

Talking about Islamic Art at the Islamic Spectrum at Nexus

I had a great time sharing some basic information about Islamic Art, for a group of 13-15years old boys and girls last friday. I felt extremely lucky and honored to have been given this chance by Dr Noris Ioannou who is the executive director of Nexus multicultural arts center – http://www.nexus.asn.au/

As I understand, Islam is a religion of peace, love and harmony. One of the many meaning of the word Islam, which most people dont know is submission, or the total surrender of oneself to God. It is a religion which began in early seventh century in Arabia and quickly spread throughout the Middle East. When you understand the true meaning of surrendering one’s soul to the higher power, that belief actually transforms every human activity into an art and every art into the remembrance of God, and so, the integration of arts and crafts into everyday life was very much the norm in the traditional Islamic world. The idea basically is that as Islam is integral to every part of a Muslim’s life and makes it beautiful, so Islamic art should be used to make the things of everyday life beautiful.

With these teachings, given to me at a very young age I am glad today I follow them in creating my art and living my life. I hope, pray and wish that my pieces, which are created with passion, always bring happiness and beauty into your everyday lives.

Five years ago, we came to Adelaide a small city town in South Australia. I have to admit, I really didnt know where we were off to, till a week before leaving Pakistan for good. To me Australia was mainly the two cities I had heard of, Sydney and Melbourne. When Mustafa told me we are going to Adelaide, I didn’t focus much on it, and probably thought it was like an area in the two main big cities, like a suburb or something !!

Our journey to Australia first time was one of the worst flights I’ve ever had in my life. Firstly it started at the Karachi airport, where the immigration wont let me through as there were issues with my passport / visa. Thanks to a rich business man who saw me, crying at the counter, (btw when I say crying, I REALLY was crying with tears!!) he requested the authorities to check again and some how let us go. His name is, Happy Minwalla - http://www.pakistaneconomist.com/issue2000/issue36/etc1.htm  Even today looking back I thank him a thousand times for helping us that day. When we got on the plane, because of all the stress and tension of going to a new place FOREVER hit me BAD !! I was continuously vomiting and had the worst fever ever.

Anyway, after reaching the airport we caught a cab, it was a Saturday after 5pm and we couldn’t see a single soul on the road. I was so amazed, obviously coming from Karachi, one of the busiest cities on the planet and then reaching Adelaide, seemed like we have reached the land of the dead. I asked Mustafa,” where are the people?!”, and he having a great sense of humor, said, ” they must have found out we are coming, so left everything and ran away!!!”

Our first day was at a back packers hostel, they said in the travelers guide, ” its a home away from home”, which is just what we wanted. Although for me, it was a ” shock away from home!” because when we walked in, the first thing I saw was a hot looking guy in shorts, no shirt, wearing thongs standing in the middle of the corridor waved his hand saying ” Hey mate, how you doing?!! need some help?!” Looking back, now that feels so normal, but then it seemed a bit shocking to see so much bare skin (Couldn’t have even imagined then, I would become a body artist then and see so much bare skin almost everyday )

To get to here, I worked as a kitchen hand, checkout operator in Bilo and woolworths, doing markets every weekend, cooking food for Mustafa’s bachelor friends, eating heaps of cheap sausages, calling family members around the world, through a telephone booth near our house at totally wrong hours crying & complaining about Adelaide bla bla bla… these btw way are just a few of the activities that kept me busy and alive for along time. I made most of my friends at jobs and am very grateful to life for such amazing experiences. If i hadn’t come here,I would have lived happily with loads of servants around me, (almost like a princess!!)  and never realized the true of meaning of being totally Independent!

I remember, when I walked into shops and galleries I dreamed of having my work in and was refused many times then, because I needed to answer one very simple question, “Are you an Australia Citizen?”, and of course the answers was “NO”, and so I couldn’t really get any further than that ! I only could dream to call myself an Australian then, and now once that is happened, I feel extremely blessed.

I was extremely scared and nervous to give the test and at first I thought, what a stupid idea for the government to do something like this. When I started reading the book, it all made so much sense. I loved the whole process and think it’s important to do the test for everyone, because it truly makes you understand the little things about the Australian culture, we tend to forget most times. I was totally unaware of so many little things that had happened in the history of making Australia and was educated through this test and completely feel it is necessary. Most of my friends studied all this information, while growing up and take it for granted, but to me it’s so important to understand the culture, I  plan to call mine.

After the test and a waiting period for the pledge ceremony, on the 8th July 09, I finally became an Australian. On the day we were allowed four guest, if I could, I would have liked to invite way more people, because for me it was a huge night. In my heart and head, thousands of questions were popping up…good bad, sad happy lots of emotions stirring…anyway after the ceremony, we went out for drinks and dinner, and I was amazed SO MANY of our friends took out time to come and congratulate us in their country. It was such a special gesture from everyone, knowing how busy they are.

Me and Mustafa are still amazed by the people here, they have given us and continue to give to much love, it makes me cry of the day when I walked the Rundle mall, thinking, “how can I live here, I dont know anyone here?!” and today, I walk anywhere in Adelaide, feeling safe and surrounded by so many wonderful friends from around the world!! Thank you to all the people of this city, for gifting us so many happy memories of happiness with each one of you. We are both extremely lucky to be here and thank god for giving us such a wonderful family of friends, Love you all !!

Photography by Mandi Whitten – www.weensyweb.com

I named my working space, Diya Studio ( Diya, in Hindi and in Urdu means light and to give), in 2000, the year I graduated from Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture - www.indusvalley.edu.pk

I always work on my pieces with the light lit behind them. Light is the metaphor for, The God I worship, who has gifted me with a palette of colors through natural pigments, Henna being one of my inks,  which has been a natural pigment for centuries.  While creating my pieces,  I pray and my prayers come out to be a painting of patterns…I never could understand how it all worked and how these patterns come out of me. I feel the power of total submission when I am creating my work, I let go of myself to let the energy guide me. The feeling is AMAZING…I don’t even plan or know what I am doing most times…it’s like a trance the light/ energy takes me into and I become one with it and feel an existence of ‘nothingness’, but a very powerful connection to the non visible world, which btw has always been the real world for me!

The whole experience of being one with the light, makes me want to share this it with all the people around me. I felt the need to write this post, to share the meaning behind the name of my studio. As it’s not an English word, people dont really know or understand what it means here…Diya Studio, a sacred space to me, it’s where I worship the light within each soul that comes to share time with me. I strongly believe light is what we have within us…that light to me is the soul, which is created by God, hence as all art reflects the artists, the soul within us reflects the creator for me. My life and reason to be alive, is to bring the light of love to all. It’s my calling and I believe its the path my soul is destined to be on.

Photography by Mandi Whitten – www.weensyweb.com