Muslim artist team up for a good cause

The act of buying today is no longer restricted to fulfilling a need or gratifying a whim; it also reflects the buyer’s ethical, political and personal choices. There are green products that awaken and maintain our commitment to safeguarding the environment with proceeds that help philanthropic societies and worthy causes. For this reason, the highly creative and talented Muslim artist, Aadil Abedi, has teamed up with TV presenter Kate Garraway to offer his original artwork exclusively via Garraway’s website (www.goodypass.com). Proceeds will go to help seriously ill children and young people have their wishes granted through Make-A-Wish Foundation. Make-A-Wish Foundation UK has a very simple objective: to grant magical wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses. The charity was founded in 1986, and since then, it has granted over 6,300 wishes. Abedi has created a range of six original pieces of calligraphic art depicting the variety of circumstances we experience through life. The artist reminds us how easy it is to be only concerned with worldly matters and forget about the most important things in life. Coming from an Indian background but having been brought up in a Western country, Abedi’s work reflects this dual culture. “So many aspects of my life inspire my work. It could be the unusual colors or varying textures that I come across; the mood that I’m in and even my mom’s saris! I like vibrant colors as well as beautiful designs, such as the damask print,” said Abeidi. He added: “I have always tried to project my own faith into my work, and I find the sacred text mesmerizing. I feel humbled by this God-given opportunity to be able to express the beauty of the Qur’anic verse in different ways. I aim to not only have the words reflect the meaning of the verses, but also the colors, design and paint.” All his paintings are adorned with Swarovski crystals, giving a beautiful sparkle in the light and adding another dimension and class to these acrylic canvases. The most striking calligraphies are “Imaan” (Faith), “Salaam” (Peace), “Hub” (Love) and “Amal” (Faith). The word “Salaam” (Peace) is inscribed next to a Zebra print design, a splash of red, with a strip of Swarovski crystals, separating the two contrasting designs. The word “Hub” (Love) is painted in a rich gold color and combined with a shadowed damask design filled with Swarovski crystals. The word “Amal” (Hope), written in green on a black background, reflects the light coming out of darkness. Even through the scattered glitter and crystals, which mimic the difficulties in life, hope is still visible. “Most of my paintings keep the verses and words as the central focus. However, knowing that what I am writing is so sacred, I am always inspired to come up with unique and memorable designs to really show off the beauty and sanctity of God’s words to the world,” says Abedi.