Congratulations to Zainab Elrahal for earning her place as a Winner in the November Boynes Monthly Art Award!

Who are you?

My name is Zainab Elrahal, and I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina to Lebanese parents. Since I was a child, I have always been drawn to creating things. When I was younger, I would attend pottery summer camps, and in middle school I would stay after school was over in the art room, working on random projects. There has always been something about the acting of creating visually that focused my attention and kept me inside the present moment. Starting college, I was planning to be an art teacher, but after taking my first college level ceramics course, I realized I wouldn’t be able to do anything else.

What inspired you to utilize sculpture as a medium?

I took my first ceramics class in high school, and looking back, I realize how naturally I connected with the medium. I have a visual processing disorder, that I seldom talk about, however I realize that it is essential to why sculpture has become my medium of choice. Working in a three-dimensional fashion allows me to use the tactile nature of clay to create, without having to solely rely on my vision. I am able to feel the curves and replicate various forms in the round using my hands and the feeling that relates to them.

How would you describe your artwork?

My artwork in a broad sense is an extension of my physical body. I create my work intuitively, with little to no planning. When it comes to wall installations, I spend time designing the technical aspects of the piece, while allowing the surface design to come naturally as I carve into it. My artwork gives my mind and body a place to rest and pour into. I gather inspiration from my life experiences, and the way they have manifested themselves into my physical self.

Can you discuss the inspiration and thought process behind "Delirium"?

The piece “Delirium” is a special and important piece for me. I created this installation at a very difficult time in my life. I was going through an extremely intense period of change, and I decided to pour my entire heart and soul into this piece. I sat down and decided within a day how many tiles I would make and the formation of the tiles on the wall. I then spent day and night in the studio and created this piece in just under a month from start to finish. Not only is this piece a product of my situation at the time, but the concept remains like my other work. The goal of this piece was to create an intense visual field using color and carving to capture my viewer and hold them steady for a moment, in a place of overwhelm and awe.

Can you walk us through the technical steps of creating "Delirium"?

The technical process of “Delirium” is one that I found along the way of creating this piece. I knew that the surface design was the most important part of this installation, so I decided to create wall tiles that were flat on the surface. Each tile is seven inches in diameter, and they vary between 2, 3, and 4 inches in depth. There are 36 tiles in total, and each one’s surface design is completely unique. I first created a scaled version in adobe illustrator to figure out the configuration of the tiles. I then cut out 36 paper circles and arranged them on the wall of my studio and began drawing the way in which I wanted the surface design to flow across the piece. I created each tile by rolling out ¼” slabs out of white stoneware clay, cutting out each circle and long rectangular strip from a stencil, and assembling every tile with care and precision.

After they were all built, I put them out and decided where each varied deep tile would go. After numbering them 1-36, I began the long and slow process of painting multiple layers of colored underglaze onto each tile. This process took days and days to complete. After the final layer of black underglaze dried, I began carving through and creating the surface pattern that flowed across the entire piece.

What do you hope to communicate to an audience with your work?

Through my work I hope to communicate a surreal confusion to my audience. My main goal throughout my pieces has been to create an intense visual surface that vibrates and draws my audience in. My concept revolves around how confusion, tension, and overwhelm arise when there is a disconnect between the mind and the body. The body holds memories, traumas, and past emotions that the mind sometimes tries to forget. When the body is unable to communicate with the mind because of this, the disconnection can manifest into physical disruptions and disorders. This confusion and turmoil are what I hope to bring to the surface with my work.

Can you talk about your biggest learning experience during the process of creating your work?

My biggest learning experience that has come from this process was seeing how everything was able to come together, simply because I kept going. I have had many doubts about my work and if I would be able to pull off what was in my mind. At a certain point, I had to stop thinking and just make things. Some days I sculpt random objects or add eyes to vases that I throw on the wheel, but I have learned that as long as I keep my hands busy, the work always comes together in the end.

Can you discuss your biggest success since starting your artistic journey?

My biggest success since starting my artistic journey was the creation of my first solo show titled “Erasure: Reimagining Syrian Ceramics.” This show consisted of an entirely different body of work than my main focus, however, it was geared towards informing others about the Syrian Civil War and the ongoing refugee crisis that is still ever present. I created a series of functional ceramic work, (bowls, plates, cups), that was inspired by ancient Syrian ceramic wares. I used similar surface designs and then altered them in different ways. All the pieces in the show were for sale, and 100% of the proceeds went to a charity in Syria called the Al-Ansar Foundation which helps needy families still struggling in war torn Syria today. I consider this show to be my biggest success thus far because the entire show sold out, and I was able to donate over $1200 to the foundation and bring awareness to the cultural and humanitarian crisis in Syria today.

Can you tell something you wish you had known before or when you began your career that would have really helped?

Something I wish I had known before starting my artist journey is that the more you create work, the more the work informs itself. There is only so much thinking, writing, and planning one can do. I have found that the act of creating is what has led me to new ideas and new ways of thinking and talking about my work. The more I have created, and talked to others about what I was doing, the more I was able to articulate and be confident in the choices I have made.

What projects are you working on currently?

Currently I am in an in-between stage in my life where I don’t have the same access to a ceramics studio as I have before. As soon as I do however, I plan to continue the “Delirium” series with other renditions of massive wall installations. I have plans for more figurative sculptures as well as wall pieces that use the same surface technique, perhaps with different layered colors.

What is your dream project or piece you hope to accomplish?

I have many dream projects that I hope to create one day. I would love to create a much larger installation piece using the same carving technique, but I will leave the exciting details for that piece for another time.

As a winner, do you have any advice for artists who want to submit to awards, competitions, residencies, etc.?

In terms of advice, I would say be confident in what you create, and unafraid to submit it to competitions, awards, etc. Speaking confidently truly makes all the difference The more you submit your work to different opportunities, the more people will have the chance to interact with you and what you create.

Lastly, I like to ask everyone what advice they would give to their fellow artists/photographers, what is your advice?

My main piece of advice for other artists is to talk about your work with anyone who wants to listen. If you are unsure about where your work is going, the more you talk about it, I have found, the more you will catch real glimpses of it along the way. Another piece of advice that I received from one of my past professors, is “at some point, the work starts dreaming about itself.” Turning off your mind and creating intuitively can lead to incredible results. Your body knows what to do, and it knows how to do it. Sometimes, all you can do is trust your physical self.

To view more of Zainab Elrahal work

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