Featured Artist August 2015

Salma Arastu

Salma Arastu’s work is influenced by her native culture and her residence after marriage in Iran and Kuwait before coming to the US in 1987. Born into the Sindhi, Hindu tradition in her native India, she later embraced Islam through her marriage. At birth, Ms. Arastu was given the life-defining challenge of a left hand without fingers. Seeing the unity of an all-encompassing God, she was able to transcend the barriers often set-forth in the traditions of religion, culture and the cultural perceptions of handicap.

She has almost 40 solo shows to her credit, won several awards including East Bay Community’s fund for artists in 2012, three works in public places and three books published with her poems and paintings. She has been invited to Germany twice, first on artist residency in 2000 and In  2011, Westphalia Wilhelm University in Münster, Germany invited to publish her paper Art Informed by Spirituality in the publication on the International Symposium: God Loves Beauty: Post Modern Views on Religion and Art.

Artist Statement

My journey into the realm of unknown begins with the line as it is the ray of light for me. I am celebrating energy and movement of line in my paintings, drawings and sculptures. I have always followed inner rhythm and by listening to it I draw with continuous line sometimes forming figural compositions with connected figures and other times abstract formations. Since my exposure to Arabic Calligraphy during my stay in Middle East, I feel my line has become more lyrical and melodious.

Click Here to visit the artist's website.