I loved to draw but I hated the rules. In the midst of my child-of-divorce rebellious teenage angst and my early struggles with anxiety, I discovered Jackson Pollock and fell in love with lawless self-expression that gave personal relief, power and an individual voice through creation. I fell in love with black. Bold, powerful, slick and timeless black which continues to be the primary force in my work today. With mark-making. A way to create a voice that was altogether a total and at the same time rejection of all the cultural boxes I’d grown up struggling to fit into.

I did my degree in studio art at the University of Toronto and explored automatic drawing and eventually fell into a rhythm of drawing for personal freedom. I went on to do my MA in sociology and while living in London and became fascinated with art in the public realm. In 2010 I received the Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award which gave me a bit of a confidence boost while I lacked self belief in actually being an artist myself. It’s a daunting thing. But it wasn’t until 2015 when I walked out of a toxic and abusive relationship that I took this journey seriously. Because being an artist takes courage and risk. And at that point I had nothing left to lose. I’ve been lucky to paint walls in 10 countries. To represent for my 3 homes: the UAE, India and Canada. To represent for female artists of colour. To engage in outreach projects that support challenged communities. I believe in art’s ability to help heal and move the world forward.