Though
not formally trained in fine arts (“aside from some classes in
college”), Fawzan has been painting and drawing since childhood.
Growing up with a strong artistic presence in his life (his older
brother Fadi, a well-know and prolific abstract painter, encouraged his
little brother to explore art at a very young age), Fawzan fondly
remembers: “I’ve had a watercolor box and a brush to play with as
far back as I can remember - my brother's yearly birthday gift”.
His sketches and paintings span a wide variety of representations, from
colorful still lifes to landscapes and portraits. One common thread in
Fawzan’s artwork is the vibrant use of light, whether it’s reflected
in the bright images and colors of cherished places, or in the
comforting yet fresh closeness of ordinary, familiar objects.
When pressed to pinpoint his favourite subjects, Fawzan chided this
writer by saying:
“People always want to peg artists by the “subjects” that they
paint. It’s like pegging an actor as a “character actor”. It ends
up limiting both the artist and the actor and becomes a self-fulfilling
prophecy. I have no favourite subject per se and I enjoy painting what
appeals to me at any given time. It
could be a pose that a cat is in, or a vista, a still life that
expresses a mood or a moment that I have enjoyed, or a figure study.
What I am looking for is shape, colour and light. When I learned to see
in those terms instead of subjects, objects and themes, I found a sense
of freedom that I didn’t have before.” He then adds: “But I do
dislike floral art.”
Although he bristles at any kind of label, Fawzan’s artwork is very
much of an impressionistic nature, especially in
the emotional use of light in his work.
Watercolour is this artist’s chosen medium – one that serves him
well in his favourite exercise, plein-air sketching.
He also enjoys working in pen and ink, but prefers the
water-soluble kind.
On his method of working, he explains: “To allow your talent to
express itself without limitation or hesitation, you have to master the
language – the practice and knowledge you get from doing is a major
part of success as an artist. I make it a habit to paint or draw
everyday without fail”. And that makes Fawzan’s artwork as exciting
for us to view as it is for him to create.
Fawzan lives,
works, paints and blogs in Ontario, Canada.
