Halimah Zakiuddin: Why I Love Art

Art is the power of creating something, anything, beautiful, unusual, extraordinary with just a few materials. Whether it’s a single brushstroke or a layer of clay it all comes together, every piece unique. Everyone sees the world differently; they see beauty in different things and so everyone’s creation is different. It’s rare and distinct. What’s created by hand, whether it’s a painting or a ceramic piece or glass art; it cannot have an exact copy. That’s the beauty of Art.

Art expresses a person’s story, their thoughts and perspective, it’s a language of its own. It maps their journey, their creativity. It opens a doorway and helps you understand them.

Art is simplicity and complexity. It can be a dash of paint or the most intricate, detailed landscape or glass piece. It can be anything. It can be interpreted in so many different ways.  

I love art because it allows me to express my imagination, through colours, brushstrokes and techniques like sgraffito. I can paint what I’m thinking or create it using clay. And I love the way Art allows us to capture a moment in time, to recreate a scene, whether it’s a stunning mountain, lakes, sunsets or our favourite pattern. And the process of painting is so calming, relaxing absorbing. It takes you to another world one full of possibilities.

I love every kind of art, although painting is probably my favourite. I like painting in vibrant colours, exploring the contrast between tones and hues and the value of light and dark. I enjoy seeing a painting come to life, one brushstroke at a time.

I also love the feel of clay in my hands, the softness of it, the way it moulds into shape. How it becomes something personal and introspective, whether it’s a vase or a bowl or an abstract tile with unique patterns inscribed onto it.

I like glass art too, though it is has so far been the most difficult craft to learn. The way each piece of glass has to be cut exactly to size so that it fits perfectly into the pattern, no jagged edges, not too big or too small then all the lead pieces have to be cut the same way and then soldered together. It’s a wonderful process but very exacting. I like the impulsivity of painting and if doesn’t seem right you can paint over it, add more shadows, more colours, alter the original image…

This blog post was written and illustrated by Halimah Zakiuddin.