The Albuquerque Community Foundation supports the local creative economy by commissioning local artists with unique ways of expressing their talent. Young, emerging artist Zahra Marwan explores the theme of hope in the face of life’s challenges with her original painting Reluctantly Resolved.

“Everything in the painting is something that makes me happy. The colors – really bright yellow on yellow, and reddish orange – the confetti and the cake, the people dancing and the roses,” she says.

“To me, happy equals hope. Even the crying is hopeful – because in despair there is always hope.” She attributes the title of the piece to the turbulent path we all take when we determine to keep optimism alive.

An award-winning watercolor and ink artist and visual storyteller, Zahra grew up in two deserts – Kuwait and Albuquerque. Though she had no personal role models for being a full-time, professional painter, she studied visual arts in high school and later in France. She returned to New Mexico with her French husband, saying she feels most comfortable and normal in New Mexico.

Zahra started selling her watercolors at the Downtown Growers’ Market, and since then has created for and collaborated with The National Hispanic Cultural Center; Éditions du Seuil along with the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris; Circus Luminous–Wise Fool New Mexico in Santa Fe; and Sharaf Studio for the Arabic translation of the American Science Magazine in Kuwait. Her first commissioned piece was the poster illustration for the National Institute of Flamenco’s 33rd anniversary season, which is how she came to the attention of the Foundation.

Despite the pandemic cancelling an exhibition in and trip to Italy and to see her family abroad, she had a productive year. She commonly completes one painting per day from her Harwood Art Center studio. She received a Creative Bravos Award from the City of Albuquerque for her contributions to the city’s vibrant arts community. A picture book featuring 27 of her original illustrations will be published in 2021 by Bloomsbury Publishing.

What is she hopeful for in the future? “I can’t wait to go back to Kuwait and bicker with my family,” she says.