Art in the Garden: Middle Eastern American Artists in the Garden and Beyond

Brookside Gardens is pleased to partner with the Middle Eastern American (MEA) Advisory Group of the Office of Community Partnerships to co-sponsor the exhibition Middle Eastern American Artists in the Garden and Beyond. 

March 1- April 25 Virtual Exhibit

March 29- April 25
In-Person Exhibit Brookside Gardens Visitor Center

Bridging MEA and other ethnic cultures in Montgomery County, the exhibit will feature natural scenes, earthen colors, explore Gardens as a source of inspiration and other related themes.  The exhibition will include diverse artistic styles from traditional still life,  illumination, calligraphy, and landscapes to neo-expressionism, abstract expressionism, figurative painting and surrealism. The virtual preview of the Exhibit Gallery may be viewed below.

March 10: 7:00- 8:00 pm; Meet the Artists, Live Virtual Free Event.

Registrants will meet the local artists and hear the fascinating stories behind the works they have chosen to exhibit. Learn how their life experiences influenced and inspired the diverse styles and different mediums they have used to create the art. Whether using acrylic or oil on canvas, pigments on handmade paper or mixed media, the artists have chosen a variety of artistic styles to express their inspiration “In the Garden and Beyond.”

 hosted by Middle Eastern American Advisory Group (MEAAG) and Brookside Gardens:

​Virtual Exhibit Gallery

Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi Oil and Acrylic on Canvas; mixed media	Shahrzads Tales by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $1200	Stories by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $400
Breakthrough by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $480	Adam apple by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $400	Beam of Light by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $375
Blockade by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $350	Generation by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $300	Hope by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $300
Orient by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $300	Peace by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $250	Waiting by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $300
Love by Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi $400	Karim Chaibi Oil on canvas
Gymnasium by Karim Chaibi $650	Hidden Pearl by Karim Chaibi $1500	Sorrow by Karim Chaibi $1500
Spiritual Landscape by Karim Chaibi $2000	Within by Karim Chaibi $650	Dystopia by Karim Chaibi $1200
Arwa Khadr ElBoraei Acrylic on Canvas	Lemons and Limes by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $5000	Apricots by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $3450 Acrylic on Canvas. 18×24 inch
Elegant Fish by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $1835	Figs by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $1500	Flying Goose by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $2000
Gold Fish by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $1500	Happy Parrot by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $3000	Hummingbirds by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei NFS
Butterflies by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $750	Peaches by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $4000	Pears by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $1550
Sailing Boat by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $2450	Sunflowers by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei NFS	Swallow by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $750
Flamingo by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $835	Yellow Parrot by Arwa Khadr ElBoraei $500
Mariam Hathor Acrylic on Canvas	Alienated by Mariam Hathor $1950	Intrusive Thoughts by Mariam Hathor $3100
Synthesis by Mariam Hathor $1950	Fruits Impasto by Mariam Hathor $365	The Walk by Mariam Hathor $2500
Sughra Hussainy Mineral Pigments on Paper and Handmade Paper	Tabiat-e Gumshuda Missing my Landscape by Sughra Hussainy $2500	Shamse Zamarud Emerald Shamsa by Sughra Hussainy $2500
Subhanallahe wa Behamdeh (From the Quran) by Sughra Hussainy $2000	Nawai Zendagi The Tune of Life by Sughra Hussainy $6000	Subhanallah el Azeem (From the Quran) by Sughra Hussainy $2000
Ahmed Alkarakhi Oil on Canvas, paper or wood	The Flowers by Ahmed Alkarakhi $2500	The Spring by Ahmed Alkarakhi $350
Four Seasons by Ahmed Alkarakhi $750	Iraq River Alpharetta by Ahmed Alkarakhi $650	Riverdale Park by Ahmed Alkarakhi $450
Landscape from Iraq by Ahmed Alkarakhi $650	Riverdale Park by Ahmed Alkarakhi $450	Rockville Landscape by Ahmed Alkarakhi $550
The Springtime by Ahmed Alkarakhi $350	The Village by Ahmed Alkarakhi $850	When the Sun Set by Ahmed Alkarakhi $350
Boats by Ahmed Alkarakhi $450
Khalid Alaani Mixed Media on canvas or paper; Acrylic on paper	Autumn Breeze by Khalid Alaani	Eve by Khalid Alaani
Houses an Neighbors 1 by Khalid Alaani	Houses an Neighbors 2 by Khalid Alaani	The Golden Valley by Khalid Alaani
My Valley by Khalid Alaani	The Legend Tree by Khalid Alaani	The Scarlet Field by Khalid Alaani
The Scent of trees by Khalid Alaani	A Town Sleeps at The Potomac River by Khalid Alaani

Artist Biographies

Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi. Iraqi born with passion to art, her talents speaks about herself, thoughts and rhetoric; draws whenever moved, colors and imagination are her tools for sending her messages to the world. The mixture of beauty and richness of Mesopotamian history, with modern ages’ dire circumstances and reflections on humans, make her oneself artist; coming cross most of Iraq’s cities, Damascus Syria, Amman Jordan and Rabat Morocco, all the way to Columbus Ohio then northern Virginia, had her bridge the messages of Middle Eastern women to the west, to change stereotype, divulging what terror and barbarism attempt to alter, of regional diversity and peaceful coexistence of all, foundation of Mesopotamian and Middle Eastern peace, to confront extremism and atrocities committed in the name of religion. Bachelor of Psychiatry and French literature, went though the hardship of Iraq’s wars, and fight against terror, sworn to work hard for her country, and fellow people, worked as journalist, then dedicated herself for humanitarian relief, then art, all for the patriotic responsibility to save humanity and curb barbarism. The love of life, peace, diversity of wide world and intercultural bridges and dialogue is Maysoon’s passion, and what makes her art and pulse of her loving.

Arwa Khadr ElBoraei: Arwa works with oil and acrylic on canvas in two distinctive styles: realism and abstract. She portrays a wide variety of subjects and emotions.
For this exhibit, Arwa selected a collection of her realism/naturalism art pieces that depicts the endless beauty of nature. Her paintings are inspired by the positive symbolism of each subject. Her colorful “Hummingbirds” piece, depicts five beautiful and colorful Hummingbirds that are considered an ancient symbol of joy and happiness, they bring good luck and positive energy. The Goose in her “Flying Goose piece” is considered a symbol of communication fidelity, parenting, fertility, and providence. The lemons in her “Lemons and Limes” piece are considered a symbol of longevity, purification, love, and friendship. The colorful Parrot in her “Happy Parrot” piece, is considered a symbol of pride, attraction, and self-confidence. The “Sunflowers” piece symbolizes vitality, intelligence, and happiness. The “Flamingo” piece symbolizes balance, family and openness. The Swallow Bird piece symbolizes love, loyalty and peace. To learn more about Arwa’s art, please visit her Instagram Profile and Facebook Page.

In 2012, Arwa founded the Sisters’ Arts and Crafts for Economic Empowerment (SACEE) to boost mutual understanding between immigrants and host communities and to shine the remarkable economic and cultural contribution of immigrants, and thus, enhance social inclusion and integration. SACEE supports immigrants to recognize, leverage, and invest in their existing artistic skills as a means for living and tools to channel their culture and values.To learn more about SACEE, please visit the SACEE’s Instagram Profile and Facebook Page.

Mariam Hathor is an Egyptian-American painter, graphic designer and actor/singer/dancer. The multi-disciplinary artist was born in Buffalo, New York, raised in Cairo, Egypt, and has been residing in the Washington D.C. metro area for the last five years. Mariam found herself in painting in her fine arts elective classes while pursuing her B.A. in Studio Art (graphic design track) at the University of Maryland. The painter works with acrylics on canvas and wood in two distinctive styles: expressionism and impasto. In her striking expressionist paintings, she loves portraying universally human emotions as well as personal and specific-to-groups experiences, while in her controlled impasto paintings, she loves exploring therapeutic movement and texture to an otherwise somewhat realistic image. Her goal is that viewers can feel the emotions in her art no matter how intense or subtle.
Maysoon Zaidan AlGburi. Iraqi born with passion to art, her talents speaks about herself, thoughts and rhetoric; draws whenever moved, colors and imagination are her tools for sending her messages to the world. The mixture of beauty and richness of Mesopotamian history, with modern ages’ dire circumstances and reflections on humans, make her oneself artist; coming cross most of Iraq’s cities, Damascus Syria, Amman Jordan and Rabat Morocco, all the way to Columbus Ohio then northern Virginia, had her bridge the messages of Middle Eastern women to the west, to change stereotype, divulging what terror and barbarism attempt to alter, of regional diversity and peaceful coexistence of all, foundation of Mesopotamian and Middle Eastern peace, to confront extremism and atrocities committed in the name of religion. Bachelor of Psychiatry and French literature, went though the hardship of Iraq’s wars, and fight against terror, sworn to work hard for her country, and fellow people, worked as journalist, then dedicated herself for humanitarian relief, then art, all for the patriotic responsibility to save humanity and curb barbarism. The love of life, peace, diversity of wide world and intercultural bridges and dialogue is Maysoon’s passion, and what makes her art and pulse of her loving.

Sughra Hussainy is trained in traditional Afghan and Islamic styles of art including miniature paintings, calligraphy, and illumination. From 2011-2014, Hussainy attended the Turquoise Mountain Institute in Kabul, Afghanistan, a school that trains artists in traditional Afghan techniques to revive and preserve the cultural heritage of Afghanistan. In 2016, Hussainy was invited to participate in the exhibition Turquoise Mountain: Artists Transforming Afghanistan at the Smithsonian’s Freer/Sackler Gallery, which ran from March 5, 2016 – October 29, 2017. Through her success in the exhibition and other exhibitions within Afghanistan and in London, Hussainy’s work gained notoriety. It was that notoriety combined with her desire to bring about social change which put her life in danger. When Hussainy returned to the US in 2017 to participate in closing activities around the Turquoise Mountain exhibition, she received a call telling her to not return home as it would not be safe. She filed for asylum and has been in the U.S. ever since. In Fall of 2018, Hussainy enrolled in Maryland Institute College of Art’s MFA in Community Arts program. She currently lives and works in Baltimore, MD.

Khalid Alaani: As an immigrant, I have lived through many situations, some are easy and some are hard but encountering these experiences have been enriching my life. When I’ve tried to depict what I felt during these years, I’ve felt that It has all kind of human’s feelings. I can say that we are all sharing what immigrants have been feeling. If we take about find a better place to live, we all do that. If we seek a good life where our families live safely, we all want that. We all move to new places, Meet new people, encounter difficulties and easiness. Enjoy the sweetness of triumph and hate the bitterness of loss.

Seeding myself in a new soil hasn’t been easy, but I’ve been enjoying every moment of it because it is exactly what I’m doing in my art; looking for a new, exciting, beautiful, deep and worth. As working in art has made me richer and better person, being immigrant has walk enriched me and that what I want to share with you. The happiness of success and the bitterness of loss and miss.
My artwork depend on trial and exploration. When I start my painting, whether it is a broad brush, a pencil line or a solid colored space, I always find a human in it. Those humans are not aliens, I know them, I feel them, they are part of me . I become those people whom I draw. I know what they believe and I can tell their stories.
In this journey I’ve been enjoying the searching for beauty of lines, brush strokes and dialogue between masses and spaces on the surface of my paintings. The art work has made me richer and better person.

Art is part of our mission! We are proud to support local artists through rotating monthly art exhibits. The Visitor Center is currently CLOSED through February 28, 2021. Sales are arranged through the Gift Shop. Sale of Art is arranged directly through Brookside Gardens Gift Shop. To purchase art call 301-962-1448, or email Kathy.Caisse@montgomeryparks.org.