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ABahraini artist has ushered in the Yuletide spirit early with her collection of Christmas-inspired cards but with a local touch, and is set to display them at a local bazaar on Saturday.
The artworks reflect the kingdom’s rich culture, from traditional crafts like pottery and pearl diving to iconic structures like the Bu Maher Fort.
Jenan Hashim’s latest creation features Santa Claus shopping for spices at the suq and puts a fun spin on Bahrain’s vibrant market scene while spreading festive cheer.
“I’m usually inspired by local scenes and love the little pockets of interesting colours and shapes everywhere you look,” the 43-year-old told GulfWeekly.
“When I started using watercolours 10 years ago, I painted six cards of scenes in Bahrain, which were a big hit at a local fair. It spurred me on to design my first set of Christmas-inspired cards, which were well received by my colleagues. Since then, every year, I make it a point to paint new ones.
“In my latest card, Santa is shopping for cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and star anise to make his spiced chai (tea),” she explained, nodding to the kingdom’s ‘karak culture’.
Karak tea is a mildly spiced, creamy concoction popular among Bahrainis and expats alike and is sold at tea shops across the island.
“One of my close friends suggested the idea when I first started the collection and it has been on my mind since. I have so much to say about this piece but for now, enjoy spotting what you can and I’ll share close-ups with more details soon,” Jenan’s recent social media post on Instagram read, pointing to her artistic eye for detail.
The primarily self-taught artist from Manama has been painting since her school days and has taken up short courses with some of the best in the industry.
“I took a course with renowned American artist Seana Mercedes Mallen, who used to conduct classes at her home in Awali. My main medium up to that point was acrylics, which I loved.
“I was introduced to watercolours by Bahraini artist Naji Swar. Watercolour is my happy place but during the Covid-19 pandemic, I bought myself an iPad Pro and got into digital artwork too. It is still as much work as watercolours if not more so, at the moment, I am in between the two (mediums).”
The creative’s artworks are available at various cultural hubs, including Manama Suq, Suq Al Qaisariya in Muharraq, and the Bahrain National Museum and Bahrain Fort gift shops, as well as at reputed art galleries.
She was featured in 100 Bahrain Stories conceptualised, written and compiled by Bahrain-based Australian expatriate and writer Tanzeel Jabbar-Khadir. The first edition was printed in 2018.
“I have been working with Market Street (in Um Al Hassam) for a long time and am excited to present my work on Saturday (October 25),” Jenan added.
“I plan to continue the Christmas card series as I enjoy coming up with fun things for Santa to do as he tours the island.
“I also hope to showcase my artwork in an exhibition. Until that happens, I will work on my craft and, perhaps, paint a few larger pieces. I think the next medium I’d like to master is gouache, but that’s a learning curve all on its own,” she said.
For more information, follow @jenan.art on Instagram.
