The teacher, artist, and writer from Kuwait.
Meet Fatema Albader – a teacher, artist, and writer from Kuwait. She likes to work with limited color palettes and capture lights and shadows. Sitting in her studio on the roof of her house, we had great fun in interviewing her for our readers this month and know more about her art and writing.
Please introduce yourself to our readers.
Hi! My name is Fatema Albader. I am a middle school English teacher, artist, and writer. I’m from Kuwait, and — according to my parents — I learned how to draw before I could even walk. I’ve carried my passion for drawing and painting ever since. I love traveling and exploring new places as I cross them off my destination bucket list. I also love playing word games like crossword puzzles, Scrabble, and – recently – Wordle. My favorite things to do are the little things I do every day: making coffee with my awesome espresso machine, watering my many plants (I am a proud mother of one avocado tree, one lemon tree, and one chili pepper tree), teaching and making connections with my students, and cozying up with a good book in bed.
Tell us about your education.
I studied English literature and linguistics. I loved learning about the biological evolution of language, the way children and adults acquire words and speech, language and gender constructions, language in advertising, poetry, art, education, news media, television, text messaging, music, everything!
You are a writer and an artist. What came first and how do they tie together?
This is kind of like answering, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?”. The best way for me to answer this question is to explain my connection with art and my art practice. I am a visual storyteller — whether that be through oil, acrylic painting, watercoloring, animation, or digital illustration. All my paintings start with a writing piece. Sometimes those pieces could be poems, and other times they are journal entries. I am always building visual narratives, often to complement and expand on my written ones, to connect with others, and to share with the world.
What do you write and what inspires your writing?
I write about my thoughts on education, both big and small. I have had a lot of light bulb moments in my years of teaching that I really enjoy documenting and sharing with others in the hopes of connecting with and inspiring teachers and educators. Ever since I can remember, I have loved reading books and writing. Words have always intrigued and delighted me. My earliest memory of my fondness for words was when I was about 9 years old and my English teacher uttered her first idiomatic expression to us in class. “Hold your horses! I’ll be right there!” she said. Hold my horses? What horses?
How would you best describe your type of art?
My art is all about color and texture. You can really see that in my paintings. I also really love experimenting with shadows and lights. I like to work with limited color palettes and capture lights and shadows. All of my art captures moments and conveys messages that move me. If I see something beautiful, or hear a beautiful story, I feel so inspired to paint it. It’s like a magnetic pull to the canvas and a release of feelings.
What are your favorite childhood memories?
When I think about my childhood my mind always goes back to my grandmother’s house. My favorite memories are playing football with my cousins in my grandmother’s backyard, riding our bikes to the mini co-op with 250 fils jingling in our pockets, afterschool basketball clubs, and all the sleepovers!
What is your favorite medium for producing your art? Digital or physical?
Although I really love producing art through both, there is something so naturally satisfying about the way a brush feels in your hand as it pushes paint to form different textures on a canvas. You don’t get that same feeling with a digital pen. For my birthday, I got a virtual reality headset with a program called Tiltbrush, which gives me the ability to paint in 3D. That has also been super cool.
What are your favourite materials to use?
My favorite materials would probably be oil paints, mediums, and palette knives. Definitely pencil and eraser too.
Where do you take the inspiration for your work?
I think the best way for me to describe my art is to say that it is influenced by the appreciation for the ordinary, mundane moments of our lives. I think we really underestimate the value of celebrating the present moment, especially the day-to-day moments we all share. Making coffee in the morning, watching a child throwing a rock in a lake, a baker making the morning pastries at his shop, a conversation with a stranger on a bus, children making shadow puppets with their hands, the everyday ice cream man in his corner; all of these moments I believe are worthy of celebration and documentation. We only hire photographers for special occasions, but we don’t really capture the rich day-to-day experiences that make up so much of our life – which I think are just as important as winning an award, or graduating, or getting married.
Can you describe your studio?
It’s on the roof of my house, with one section that has floor to ceiling windows for maximum daylight exposure. There is an outdoors area as well, which I’ve furnished with two big gray bean bags, a wooden table, plants, and chairs. Sometimes I’ll see a beautiful sunset and feel like taking my canvas and easel outside to paint. Inside the studio, there are white walls, there is a bluish gray carpet, and a gray four seater sofa (I guess I like the color gray). There is also a gray marble sink in the corner for washing my brushes and hands. My art is all over the place; it’s on the walls, on the table, above the sink, and in the bathroom. There are paint stains on the white tiled floor and carpet (and curtain too). It will either smell like lavender, eucalyptus, or sweet orange, (depending on my mood that day) and the aromas come out of my dimly- lit Muji diffuser. I also have many indoor plants (some grown, most adopted) that sit on a wooden plant stand against the floor to ceiling window. It can get quite busy and messy, but all my things are super agile and easy to move around.
What is your process? Can you take us through your process from concept to final work?
I usually start by sketching my vision in my sketchbook. This is the part where I will use my imagination, often question my purpose, and experiment with different colors (using watercolors or acrylics because of their fast drying process). After that stage, I’ll move to my easel and start prepping my canvas. I’ll use my sketch for guidance – but will let my painting decisions be intuitive and try my best to trust the process. I never feel like I have truly finished a painting and always have a sense that I could do more – but eventually I recognize when it’s time to walk away and enjoy seeing the final piece.
Have you exhibited your work in any galleries?
During my SADI 2021 residency, my Sadu artwork was exhibited at Sadu House and Kuwait’s pavilion at Dubai Expo. This summer, I’ll be exhibiting my art work in A.I.R. Vallauris Gallery in Vaullaris, France and La Macina Di San Cresci Museum in Tuscany, Italy.
Where do you sell and display your work?
I have a website where I display my work, and I always share my artwork on Instagram. People will send me direct messages for pieces they are interested in buying and for commissioning artwork too.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
For me, a big challenge is finding time to paint. Another challenge I often find myself undertaking is trusting the process. I might be having a bad day, make a mistake, and want to abandon a piece and start over. But I think it’s in those moments that challenge me to sit back and find the courage to accept that mistakes are just part of the process, or as Bob Ross likes to call them “happy accidents”.
Your favourite quote?
“لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنبَغِى لَهَا أَن تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ وَكُلٌّ فِى فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ”
It’s not a quote, but a verse from the holy Quran.
What are some of your other hobbies?
Making coffee in all its forms; lattes, Chemex drip coffee, French press, espresso. I also really enjoy singing. If there’s karaoke, I’m in. I also love camping, hiking, sailing and surfing. Is traveling a hobby?
What’s the best piece of advice you have heard and repeated to others?
My high school history teacher always used to tell us, “You don’t know what you don’t know cause you don’t know that you don’t know it.” 15 years later, I finally get it and repeat it often.
What are some of your plans for the future?
My plans are to continue doing the things I love; teaching, traveling, painting, and drinking coffee. Maybe on a different planet, or in a different country.
Your message for us at CP magazine.
Appreciate life’s little moments, maintain your health, and always remember to play.
