Amani Swalim
b. 1985, San Francisco ∙ CE artist since 2007 - 2009; 2018
After graduating from Mission High School in 2007, studio artist Amani Swalim worked at Creativity Explored through 2009, later returning to the program in 2018.
Swalim primarily works in watercolor and pencil and has started experimenting with sewing, embroidery, and painting on silk. Her favorite subject matter is women of fantasy and fairy-tales: princesses and queens. She uses a warm palette of burgundy, reds, and pinks to depict her characters. Swalim is proud of her Palestinian heritage and also uses her personal history in her artwork. She has produced a series of drawings on wood detailing a number of Suras from the Koran in Arabi, translating them to English on the reverse.
Recently, Swalim has began creating animations and GIFs of her Mandala designs, bringing her drawings and embroidery to life in a digital format.
Select Exhibitions & Projects
2009
Inscriptions, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
TV and Me, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA
2008
INsects INsectos, Creativity Explored, San Francisco, CA