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Self-taught artist Najah Kraiker aims to spread colour and joy in homes throughout the kingdom with her vibrant paintings of pretty posies, ravishing roses and lovely lilies.
The Syrian mother-of-three is no stranger to nature as she was born in the countryside outside of Damascus surrounded by farms, rivers, mountains and lush landscapes.
“Flowers were all around me every day,” said Najah. “Every type of flower you can think of…we had it in Damascus. Nature has always been a major influence in my life. It is refreshing to be around and to grow up in.”
Nature, from colourful flowers to green mountains and crystal-clear rivers inspired Najah to draw and paint. When the Syrian Civil War broke out in 2011, it motivated her to put her thoughts and emotions into colour form.
She said: “The situation in Syria never stopped me from painting. Instead, it has motivated me, acted as a pain coping mechanism and has helped me to capture the beautiful memories of the countryside and nature of Damascus on canvas.”
And that she did…
The talented oil painter poured her heart onto different sized canvases and 22 of her pieces are currently on display at Harbour Gate’s south ground floor entrance within the Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH) as part of 38th Art at the Harbour exhibition.
Her showcase, entitled “Blossoms from Childhood”, is open to the public and will run until October 14 with paintings starting from BD60. She also has complementary sets such as the series of three chrysanthemums called “Don’t Leave”
This is her second exhibition in Bahrain with a few of her works still on display at a gallery in Bahrain. While Najah, who is a civil engineer, was always interested in sketching and colouring, her painting prowess truly developed after her daughter Shahd, an architect, brought home several art supplies for a course she was taking.
“My daughter would bring home different mediums and supplies,” explained Najah, who moved to the kingdom in 2009 to be closer to Shahd who was studying here. “I got hooked. I started painting and wanted to learn even more. Any time I came across an art book, I would buy it and study it. I would also go online and look for different painting techniques and learn about colour combinations and so on. I wanted to absorb all that I could. I have been painting since 10 years and wanted to share my love for colours and nature with people in Bahrain. I love bright colours and happy shades and my favourite flower is the rose.”
According to Shahd, every inch of their home is covered with floral canvases that catch the eye. She said: “It’s as though we are living in a garden…indoors. It matches the flowers in our garden. It is breath-taking.”
Financial Centre Development Company chief executive officer Angus Campbell is delighted to see her blossoming beauties on show and believes the art work continues to keep the summer vibes alive and well at the Harbour Gate.
He said: “It is a pleasure to see such colourful and beautiful art pieces of nature. Her flowers look as though they are popping off the canvas.”
Follow Najah @najahkraiker on Instagram to find out more about her work.
