The Members of the Valley Artisans’ Coop acknowledge that we exist on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people and honour their long history here.
We recognize that we all have a role to play in decolonizing, healing, and reconciliation and we value art as an expression of our common humanity.
My name is Mohammad. I am a visual artist with nearly 19 years of experience in painting. I work with a wide range of artistic mediums and feel confident using them. My journey began with the realist school, then evolved toward abstraction. I continue to work in both styles, with a particular passion for abstraction, as it offers a wider space and greater freedom of expression.
I draw inspiration from reality, but my artistic style has been deeply shaped by my experience with war in my homeland of Syria. I have created many works that reflect the suffering and struggles of my people, transforming pain into visual narratives that carry meaning and message.
I spent 11 years living in refugee camps in Jordan due to the war. Throughout those years, I never stopped painting. Art was a space of survival for me--a means of expression and a visual memory of everything we lived through.
I have recently moved to Canada and I am eager to integrate into the local artistic community, build meaningful connections, and exchange knowledge. I believe art is a universal language and a bridge that connects cultures and people.
I'm Tamer, a visual artist with nearly fifteen years of experience in painting. During this time, I've honed my skills using a variety of materials and techniques, allowing me to move confidently and flexibly between different artistic styles.
My journey began with realism, focusing on charcoal drawing. I then expanded my technique by mixing and blending oil paints, acrylics, pastels, and charcoal, ultimately developing my own unique style that incorporates a wide range of techniques and materials.
My work is inspired by my lived reality, but my personal experience during the war and living in a refugee camp had a profound impact on shaping my visual identity. Through my painting, I strive to transform pain and memory into images that convey human messages, reflecting people's suffering and stories.
I spend eleven years in refugee camps in Jordan. That period was challenging, but it also strengthened my connection to art. I never stopped drawing; rather art was a mean for me to survive and express myself, and a visual archive that documents the challenges and experiences I went through. I aspire, through displaying some of my works at the Valley Artisans' Co-op, to build a bridge of communication with the local community and the participating artists to exchange experiences and expertise.