About MeI was born in 1979 in the ancient walled city of Taroudant, in the Souss Valley in southern Morocco. The beauty of my hometown is constantly reflected in my work: the yellow hues of the ancient ramparts that encircle the town, the blue of the women’s ‘milhafas’, Moroccan tile patterns, Sufi musicians, and other staples of Taroudant’s quotidian life.
As a young man, semi-professional football (soccer) and artistic endeavors took turns consuming my days. I was nine years old when I won my first award for drawing a portrait of the erstwhile King Hassan II of Morocco. My love for art, in its many forms, was born. At 15, I began studying carpentry vocational school, while I continued painting and football on a traveling team. When in 2003, a knee injury left me unable to play indefinitely, art filled the void. Art has since become my life’s calling, and has played a central role in my charitable work. My works are pro bono for local charitable organizations, and are commissioned, for a fee, by local government offices and businesses. I someday hope to realize my dream of opening my own studio that would not only provide me a space to work outside of my modest family home, but also allow me to conduct free trainings for under-served youth who wish to learn the carpentry trade and other artistic skills. The other tabs on this page show the breadth of my work (painting, sculpture, metal work, and woodwork, etc.), and the role of art and painting in my efforts to give back to my community. Thanks for visiting my page, and please feel free to contact me at [email protected] |