Meet Mariya Shaikh
Mariya Shaikh is both, a visual artist and textile designer based in Sindh, Pakistan. Shaikh has been professionally and formally trained in her disciplines at the Institute of Art and Design, Jamshoro, at the Museum of Applied Art and Sciences, Australia, and at the Beaconhouse National University, Lahore. Shaikh’s spiritual curiosities and her creativity have come together in a wonderful balance of design and visual arts that reflects her spiritual practice and studies. For the last 11 years, she has been an active practitioner, researcher, and educator in art and design at IOAD Jamshoro and International Museum projects, in Australia. Shaikh has been exhibiting regularly since 2014 on national and International Art and design platforms in group and solo shows held in Dubai, Canada, India, Pakistan, South Korea, and Milan, Italy.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the creative field?
My journey into the creative field was deeply inspired by a confluence of my spiritual curiosities and my innate creativity. Having been professionally and formally trained in visual arts and textile design, I've always found myself drawn to exploring the intricate interplay between the tangible and intangible aspects of human existence.
Can you share a specific learning experience that significantly impacted your artistic development?
One particularly transformative learning experience that significantly influenced my artistic development occurred during my time at the Museum of Applied Art and Sciences in Australia. It was a period of intense immersion in both the practical and theoretical aspects of art and design, where I had the opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives and techniques.
During this time, I was exposed to a rich tapestry of cultural influences and artistic traditions, which expanded my understanding of the creative process. One specific instance stands out: an encounter with an indigenous artist whose work was deeply rooted in their spiritual beliefs and cultural heritage.
Through conversations and collaborative projects with this artist, I gained invaluable insights into the power of art as a means of expressing and preserving cultural identity. Their approach to storytelling through visual imagery resonated deeply with me, sparking a renewed sense of purpose and inspiration in my own artistic journey.
Moreover, this experience instilled in me a profound appreciation for the interconnectedness of art, spirituality, and cultural heritage. It reinforced my belief in the transformative potential of art to transcend boundaries and bridge cultural divides.
Since then, I have sought to infuse my own artistic practice with a similar sense of cultural resonance and spiritual depth. This learning experience continues to inform and shape my work, serving as a constant reminder of the transformative power of art and the importance of honoring diverse cultural perspectives in creative expression.
Can you walk us through your creative process from ideation to execution?
My creative process begins with a profound inspiration rooted in spirituality and the human experience. As a visual artist, my work serves as a journey through time and space, aiming to visualize the intricate interplay between mortal and immortal stages of being. This exploration is symbolized by horizontal lines on the canvas, representing marks and experiences that shape our existence as we traverse between these stages. Through a plain stitch line effect and shifts in color gradient, I capture the dynamic interplay between tangible and intangible aspects of human existence. Central to my creative process is the belief that we are spiritual beings having a human experience, reflected in the skies I create where spirits belong, humans exist, and spirits will live forever. From ideation to execution, my artistic journey is guided by a deep reverence for the transformative power of art and the spiritual inquiry that fuels my passion for creative expression.