Ei there, we will be showcasing and selling our gitshop items at the Souq Extra! Community Bazaar on Feb 6, Saturday, from 10am to 5pm in DIP. Drive down and meet us!

Directions:
After you exit Emirates Road to go to DIP, ignore the main and take the second entrance a few meters more down the road. After you turn right, you’ll reach a roundabout (on the right would be the Market, The Courtyard), go LEFT on this r/a.

Go straight, pass three roundabouts, on the THIRD roundabout make a U-turn. Take right on the second entrance to Ewan residences, there will be a sign pointing to the Souq Extra!.

Alternatively, once you’re in DIP, just follow the sign to either Souq Extra! or Spinneys.

See you there!

Make work more fun!

Check out the new stocks at www.OrangeJar.com’s Gift Shop. We have trendy shirts, matching couple shirts and polo shirts perfect as Valentine’s gifts, nifty speakers and USB hubs that look like toys, and more.

We don’t have an actual shop, OrangeJar reps can ship within the UAE or meet you in person. Check it out now! Email us at orangejar@orangejar.com for any orders.

What was done was done. A tear formed in her eye, as she looked at the broken glass.

My grandmother, Monica Avancena de Castro, is one strong-willed lady. She has had 8 strokes and yet you can see her strong will to live.

I was still young when she had her first stroke, half her body was paralyzed but that did not deter her. She went on and showed us all how to be a strong woman despite adversities.

For the last few years she has been confined to this wheel chair and during this last visit, she finds it harder to speak and move but her eyes are as lively and impish as ever. She’d be the first to ask if you’ve already eaten or how my parents, brothers and nephews are.

This is for you Lola. We love you.

*Pencil, Photoshop

Traditional Islamic arts and crafts were the focus of attention at educational institutions across Abu Dhabi recently through a series of workshops organised by the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF). The initiative, which was the first of its kind held in the Gulf region, highlighted the richness of these traditional practices, encouraging creativity, spreading knowledge and establishing building blocks to inspire future Emirati artists.

The workshops provided a platform for young students to reconnect with an important part of their cultural heritage. They were organised in cooperation with the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, founded by HRH The Prince of Wales and the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC).

Facilitators from the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts in the UK worked with 260 students over a period of two weeks to explore geometric designs and patterns from nature applied to traditional Islamic Art. The workshops were held under two general themes: “Introduction to Traditional Islamic Design” and “Patterns from Abu Dhabi”. They were organised as part of ADMAF’s comprehensive educational programme, which seeks to provide young national talent with the tools to realize their potential in the fields of arts and culture.

Students from the Applied Media and Graphic Design Programmes of the Higher Colleges of Technology- Women’s College in Abu Dhabi and the Graphic Design and Web Design Programmes of Zayed University participated in the first workshops, which provided guidance on construction methods for geometric patterns and biomorphic motifs, both of which have traditionally governed all aspects of Islamic art. After exploring the close relationship between nature and Islamic art, the students created the design for a prayer rug or a Mihrab, inspired by natural environment of Abu Dhabi.

The “Patterns from Abu Dhabi” workshops introduced students from the Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls, the British School- Al Khubairat and the Al Shohub School for Girls to simple geometric designs found in the mud forts of Abu Dhabi and their connection to the order of nature. The students studied symmetry and pattern in nature and were given an opportunity to create their own design using activities suited to various ages and abilities including stencilling, printing, painting and drawing.

Mrs. Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, said, “Islamic arts heritage is one of our most valuable treasures and could be lost if serious effort is not put into passing it onto the new generation. The traditional arts and crafts workshops we organised and supported in Abu Dhabi aimed to ensure that this important part of our culture is preserved. These workshops add another dimension to ADMAF’s educational activities, which seek to not only spread knowledge on modern art but also to revive Islamic arts and inspire new talent for the future.”

The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts was founded in 2004 by HRH The Prince of Wales as one of his core charities. It specializes in teaching, researching and promoting creativity, practice and theory of the arts and crafts of the world’s great traditions.

About ADMAF:
The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation seeks to nurture the arts, education, culture and creativity for the benefit of society and the advancement of Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision. Established in 1996 by Her Excellency Mrs Hoda Al Khamis Kanoo, ADMAF is a not-for-profit organisation under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

ADMAF’s broad programme of initiatives and events – including the Abu Dhabi Festival and the International Comic Strip & Cartoon Art Festival among many others – brings together audiences of all ages and nationalities. Through its educational and community programs, it nurtures the creative talent of the UAE and beyond, in partnership with leading national and international institutions.

Visit www.admaf.org

It was a crunchy sound he did not welcome at all.

Public Exhibition of Shortlisted Works for Her Highness Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award to open on Sunday

The Art Centre at Dubai Ladies Club, a member of Dubai Women Establishment, today announced that all shortlisted entries for Her Highness Sheikha Manal Young Artist Award 2009 will be shown in a major exhibition from Sunday, 15th November 2009 to Thursday, 19th November 2009.

The exhibition, which will be held in The Art Centre at Dubai Ladies Club, will feature 50 artworks by young Emirati and UAE resident artists and is open to male and female visitors from 10 am to 9 pm.

In line with the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Women Establishment, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the competition aims to encourage, recognize and promote emerging artists from the UAE.
Now in its third year, this year’s competition has seen the highest ever number of submissions with more than 250 entries from 14 different nationalities, reflecting the continued interest in art within the community and the role of H.H. Sheikha Manal’s Young Artist Award as the UAE’s most important award for young emerging artists.

Muna Bin Kalli, Executive Director of Dubai Ladies Club added, “The result of the application process has been overwhelming. We are very pleased with this year’s 50 shortlisted contemporary pieces which range greatly in subject matter and context. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the participants who offered us their best works, the distinguished judges for giving their consent and time to be part of this project and thereby contributing significantly towards the development and recognition of art and culture, and our exclusive sponsor Etisalat who has provided us with support in order to make this event a success.”

The competition received entries in a variety of mediums, from digital animation and video to paintings, sculpture, drawings and photography. It was open to all UAE residents, male and female, between the ages of 18 to 30 years. One major criterion for the award was that the artist should not have had an independent solo exhibition previously. This year’s shortlist includes first time entrants as well as participants of Her Highness Sheikha Manal Art Exchange Program.

The shortlisted entries will be reviewed by a distinguished panel comprised of prominent figures from the world of art, art experts and educators from recognized global institutions including Sheikha Latifa Bint Maktoum, Founder of Tashkeel; Judith Greer, Associate Director of International Programmes for the Sharjah Art Foundation; Salwa Mikdadi, Head of Arts and Culture Program at the Emirates Foundation; Jassim Al Awadhi, Emirati photographer and Chairman of UAE Photography Club. The winning artists will be announced during the Gala Award Ceremony to be held on Tuesday, 24th November 2009.

Furthermore, following the opening of the exhibition on Sunday, 15th November 2009, the public will have a chance to vote for their favourite art work for ‘The People’s Choice Award’ through the website’s online voting feature. The People’s Choice Award is distinctive in that it is the only award that is not conferred by the jury. Rather, it is bestowed on the finalist artist whose work receives the most public votes.

To view the 50 shortlisted entries and to submit your vote for ‘The People’s Choice Award’ please visit www.youngartistaward.ae.

The Art Centre
In line with Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s support of various artistic and cultural initiatives for women and the youth in the UAE, she established The Art Center at Dubai Ladies Club. This fully equipped and dedicated facility offers a variety if courses ranging from fine arts to applied arts, design to crafts, creative writing to music and photography. It is the first dedicated art facility in Dubai for ladies and includes an arts and crafts shop, photography studio and an art exhibition hall.

Dubai Ladies Club
The Dubai Ladies Club is not just another club. Founded in 2003 as part of the Dubai Women Establishment by Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, its mission was to create an oasis where the modern Emirati woman could develop her interests and talents, be they in the arts, sport, fashion, philanthropy or business. A place not only to satisfy women’s existing needs, but to enhance and encourage new skills and awareness. The club’s stated objective was to help national women realize their potential, and as a result, contribute to an ever changing, dynamic, modern society.

Successfully combining luxury with learning, modernity with tradition, the local with the global, since its inception the club has developed and gone on to become a powerhouse of cultural exchange, debate and recreation for women of all ages and nationalities.

The clubs world-class facilities and services include a dedicated Art Centre, a superior Childcare Centre, fully equipped Fitness Centre and the five-star Moroccan Style Al Asalla Spa. The club also offers a long line of programs, events and activities which will help nurture and nourish spiritual wellbeing of every woman. Moreover, the tranquil atmosphere envelopes the Club is further enhanced by its exquisite location overlooking one of the most beautiful beaches in Dubai.
For more information about Dubai Ladies Club, please visit www.dubailadiesclub.com.

I’ve only done Illustration Friday once before but I really find the idea very fun. Here’s how it works: once you sign up, they will email you the topic of the week and you have to draw your own interpretation.

After my initial effort (done on a different blog), I sort of got waylaid by so many other things. But. Here I am again.

So here’s a quickly sketched and colored work that I made:

Wigi found his element. Head low, foot on the pedal, he sped, willing the kart with all his might.

The Abraaj Capital Art Prize Increases Number of Winners in New Application Process for 2011

Deadline for applications is January 31st 2010

Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 9 November, 2009 – The Abraaj Capital Art Prize has announced its new application process for its third year, 2011. It will now allow artists to apply for the prize themselves. In addition, the number of winners has been increased from three to five. These modifications have been put in place to offer more contemporary artists from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) the opportunity to benefit from the support and global recognition of the prize.

“We have concluded that widening the number of winners from three to five will give more artists from this culturally rich region of 1.6 billion people the opportunity to create a work of art that pushes the boundaries of their practice and offers them an international platform to showcase their work,” commented Savita Apte, Chair of the Abraaj Capital Art Prize.

The US $1 million art prize has been awarded twice since its development in 2008 by Dubai-based Abraaj Capital, each time to three sets of winners comprising an artist and an internationally renowned curator. The award is the world’s most generous art prize and has quickly achieved international recognition, boosting the overall profile of art from the region as well as each of the winners to date. Unveiled each year at Art Dubai, the works of the 2009 winners have been displayed this summer in the Museum of Arts & Design in New York City.

“Having followed the progression of the 2009 Abraaj Capital Art Prize recipients, we’ve seen that winning the Abraaj Capital Art Prize has not only increased their status and acclaim in the international art world, but more importantly given them the opportunity of creating new, more monumental and ambitious artworks. Identifying and empowering potential is a key mission for Abraaj Capital, and by extending the Prize to a larger field of artists, we further strengthen that objective in the MENASA art community,” added Fred Sicre, Executive Director of Abraaj Capital.

Abraaj Capital, which was founded in 2002, invests in the growing MENASA region, taking well-run, promising companies and turning them into regional and even global champions. Artworks resulting from the prize form part of Abraaj Capital’s corporate collection.

To apply as an artist for the Abraaj Capital Art Prize 2011 or for more information, please visit www.abraaj.com/acap or contact the Abraaj Capital Art Prize Manager Laura Trelford on artprize@abraaj.com or +971 4323 3434.

About the Abraaj Capital Art Prize: The Abraaj Capital Art Prize is the world’s most generous art prize worth US $1 million. It provides an opportunity for creative collaboration between international curators and artists from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA). The prize was established in April 2008 and is designed to create a viable platform for individual artists who are revered in their local communities but lack international critical and commercial exposure. The Abraaj Capital Art Prize provides artists with the opportunity to hone their talents working alongside international curators and to reach a global audience through the display of their work at Art Dubai and the Museum of Arts and Design. Displaying their work at the Middle East’s largest contemporary art fair raises the curtain on their talent, affording finalists global recognition.

Criteria for applications: Only artists from the MENASA region can apply. There is no age limit, and any type or variety of media can be used. The works need to be rooted in local culture and appeal to an international audience. Artists are required to submit specific budgetary projections and requirements. Most importantly, artists have to produce a personal statement that explains how they see themselves as representative of the country in which they were born, and why their artwork and artistic message is important and deserves to be recognised by a wider arts community. Applications open in October, and the winning artists are announced in the middle of the following year. Once chosen, the winners have six months to create their works, which are then unveiled in March at Art Dubai, the Middle East’s biggest art fair.

Previous winners: The 2009 winners were: Kutluğ Ataman (Turkey), with Curator Cristiana Perrella (Italy); Zoulikha Bouabdellah (Algeria), with Curator Carol Solomon (United States); Nazgol Ansarinia (Iran), with Curator Leyla Fakhr (Iran). The 2010 winners are: Kader Attia (Algeria), with Curator Laurie Ann Farrell (United States); Hala Elkoussy (Egypt), with Curator Jelle Bouwhuis (Netherlands); Marwan Sahmarani (Lebanon), with Curator Mahita El Bacha Urieta (UK).

About Abraaj Capital: Abraaj Capital is the largest private equity group in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA). Since its inception in 2002, it has raised about US$ 7 billion for its funds, and made more than 35 investments across eleven countries. Based in Dubai, Abraaj operates offices in five countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey. More than 150 world-class professionals work at Abraaj from 27 different nationalities. Abraaj’s holdings include some of the region’s most prominent companies, such as Air Arabia, the region’s largest low-cost carrier; Acibadem Healthcare Group, Turkey’s biggest privately owned operator of premium hospitals; and Al Borg Laboratory, the Middle East’s biggest medical laboratory-testing company. Abraaj has won several international awards, and is a four-time winner of PEI’s ‘Middle Eastern Private Equity Firm of the Year’. Abraaj operates five funds, and has distributed about US$ 3 billion to investors from 20 exits, where it generated superior returns from the value it added. Abraaj Capital Ltd. is licensed by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, which operates according to international regulatory standards.