Encyclopedia of Arab American Artists

The rich history and culture of the Arab American people is found in the passionate works of its artists. Whether they be traditional media such as painting and calligraphy, or more sophisticated media such as digital work and installation, the pieces represent the beauty of heritage, the struggles of growing up in war-torn countries, the identity conflicts of female artists in male-dominated societies, and the issues surrounding migration to a Western culture very different from one’s own.

Many of the artists included here, though their works appear in museums and galleries throughout the world, have never before been featured in a reference book. Interviews conducted by the author provide a personal look into the experiences and creative processes of these artists. Artists included: *Etel Adnan *Wasma Chorbachi *Nihad Dukhan *Kahlil Gibran *Sari Khoury *Emily Jacir *Sari Khoury *Mamoun Sakkal *Mary Tuma *Madiha Umar *Afaf Zurayk

Fayeq S. Oweis is an Arab American artist and a professor of Arabic Language and Culture at Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, California. He has a PhD in interdisciplinary studies with focus on Arabic and Islamic arts. As an artist, he designed the exterior entranceway murals and the calligraphy of the interior dome of the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. He has also exhibited his Arabic calligraphic compositions through out the United States, and was an Artist-in-residence at the Art Institute of Chicago in February 2007.