I have always been fascinated by the splendor of Islamic architecture and the exotic world of the Middle East. It makes me wonder about the glorious costumes of their Sheiks, the morning fragrance of their street markets, their seductive acoustic melody, and their vivid gem like colors that populate all their fabrics. I indulged myself in illustrating these decorative ornaments, by taking inspirations from the different regions. The six final ink drawings of this Eastern Reflection Series are titled: ‘Persian Mornings’, ‘Moroccan Afternoons’, ‘Arabian Nights’, ‘Turkish Evenings’, ‘Indian Sunset’, and ‘Moorish Sunrise’.
The first four editions of this series are now produced as pray sets, each include a quilted meditation mat and a light canvas bag. Most people use this pray set in many different ways to reflect on life. My brother Adit and his wife Ani use the set to complete the sacred ritual of Salat. My two münchenberries, Miya and Clio, use them to play picnic and tea party in our patio. Just like in the magical ballad of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’, I sit on the soft mat while sketching or reading so I can fly away to those distant lands where the plants are taller than the skyscrapers in Jakarta.
Pura vida!
Melissa
