Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shayema Rahim. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Shayema, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Being able to help someone is very important to me. God has blessed me with a talent that I can help people through. I help/helped multiple charities in Dallas by donating my art. They sell my paintings in a silent auction and raise funds for the cause. Among many charities that I helped, one was St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. I, myself, have donated several paintings for their auction. I also requested my Artist friends to donate. They did, and I raised $60 K worth of paintings. I know it is not a huge amount of money. But it still makes me smile, thinking I was able to help in my small way for this great cause. Most importantly, when you can help someone without expecting any return that is very special to me.

Shayema, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an Artist from the core of my heart. I was always artistic as a child. It’s been almost 30 years that I have been playing with paint, brush/ paper, or canvases. The main mediums that I work with are encaustic, oil, acrylic, and mixed media. Deep inside, the thought of helping others was in my heart from a very young age and I wanted to do something in life to inspire others, cheer others, and help others irrespective of their race, gender, ethnicity, or religious belief. I always wanted my works to influence others spiritually, philosophically, and emotionally, and I am glad to share that I have been successful in that aspect today. I get to hear that from my Art collectors, how my Paintings make them feel, and how it impacts them. This part of my job is a priceless gift to me, getting to hear that I have the ability to impact others through my work. To me, the definition of an artist is that they have a higher purpose beyond commerce. Not that they will not profit from their work or promote themselves, but that the work itself has spiritual, philosophical, emotional, or experiential attributes as its central goal. An artist’s work is about an idea, a feeling, or an exploration of a form, framed more by their intuitions than the checklists and protocols of bureaucracies and corporations. I am based out of Dallas, TX, and have done multiple solo and group exhibitions over the years within the US and internationally. My paintings have helped me through very rough patches in my life. My mission is to help others through the beautiful aura of art; I especially want to help women and children. In the coming years, it’s my mission to continue spreading that sentiment, “Art heals, and Art rejuvenates.” I also want to inspire others and share my story with them. I was able to help my community through my talent: my skill to be able to paint. My paintings were auctioned and raised funds for autistic children, cancer treatment for children (St. Jude’s), mental health, domestic violence, and education, to name a few. If I could do that, lots of other creative people should be able to do it too. Art is a form of love. Art is the ultimate gift, and Art heals LIFE.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Going to college as a single Mom, painting, working to pay the bills, and exhibiting my works. I don’t know how I did it, but now I look back and can smile. My son, Arbaaz, is a great kid who has cooperated with me on this journey. Although my Mom is very far away, she has always inspired me.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Non-creatives should understand that painting is not programming. For us artists, we can’t just paint whenever or wherever. Our mind and soul have to have some sort of alignment to create. Creating time pressure is not a good idea for an artist. Another critical point about creative souls is that they need their own alone time to think, process, and create. Someone who has no idea how an artist’s brain functions, it will be hard for them to understand. An artist usually sees beauty in everything. This also helps them to create. Sometimes, it’s hard for a non-creative person to appreciate and acknowledge those creations’ sources/or inspiration. It could be as simple as a leaf or a raindrop. But it played the role of the source of inspiration.

Contact Info:

• Website: Shayema.com
• Instagram: shayemaabstractartist
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shayema-rahim/

Image Credits
Robert Hold