We were lucky to catch up with Nuha Moretz recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nuha, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

My love and appreciation for art started when I was in high school while living in Tokyo, Japan. I spent countless hours in the art lab, and took every class possible. I longed to pursue a degree in art, but my parents talked me out of it in favor of a more “practical” path. While pursuing an M.A from Ohio University in International Studies as a Fulbright Scholar, I studied education reform and gender equity, topics that are still dear to my heart, even as I have returned to my earlier passion for art.

These studies helped launch my “practical” career working and traveling in multiple countries in North and East Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Throughout my travels, I always took time to connect with local artists, take classes, and collect original pieces that touched me. I am very grateful to have had these opportunities along the way, since they influenced my development and growth as an artist.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a Yemeni-American Interior Stylist/Decorator and an Artist who moved to Utah five years ago. Although I have been painting for many years off and on with long gaps in between while my career and family life took priority, life has a way of steering us in ways we can’t anticipate. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, I wasn’t able to work so I found myself painting to keep busy. Before long, I began waking up to paint, which gave me a sense of purpose and joy in troubling times. I began exploring different techniques and styles.

As a largely self-taught artist, I like to use shape, form, colors and textures to create depth with unique layering of materials. The freedom that abstract art provides as an artist is liberating. I allow colors and movement to guide my art process in creating original one-of-kind art pieces. I don’t like to recreate the same piece because every art piece has its own journey in the making. Many factors influence my paintings, such as my mood, purpose and the colors that I use. They can’t be duplicated.

Art is a form of communication, and I paint when I’m inspired by my surroundings or want to express what I cannot convey through mere words. I like to explore ideas that can be widely interpreted and have different meanings to individuals. My portfolio titles reflect this, like “Life’s Ups & Downs” and the series called “Waterscapes”, “Nature” and “Into the Forest”. My goal is to connect with people through my art in a way that is freeing and emotionally engaging.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The process of making art from start to finish is the most rewarding aspect for me as an artist. I enjoy mixing colors, creating texture and layering while exploring different techniques. It’s always a process of exploration and transformation from a blank canvas to a finished product.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I was in high school I was directed by my parents towards a “practical” career path yet allowed to keep art as a hobby. I accepted that a creative path was not for me, but I continued to surround myself with art and artists, taking classes when I could. Today, I better understand that being an artist is not easy. Artists work hard to create with passion. It takes talent and energy to continue to produce works of art. It’s also financially challenging, since art supplies are not cheap and there’s no steady income to financially sustain oneself. Artists get paid when they sell art and even then they have to share their earnings. Yet, artists continue to create art because it’s primarily about fulfilling their passion as creators seeking to communicate their expressions.

It took COVID to get me to dive into painting everyday and to decide this is my passion and that I was ready to pursue it as a career. During the lockdown, I created so much art that I decided to try and sell my art online. At first I felt vulnerable and wasn’t comfortable with displaying my art but my husband and other family members encouraged me to launch my site.

Since 2020, I have participated in a number of exhibitions, art fairs and have sold a number of paintings. I learned to never stop pursuing your passion, even if it means having to work harder and accepting that “success” is not linear. We all have talents and a desire to explore it further but conventional paths to financial sustainability sometimes lead us to lose faith in our abilities.

I’m grateful that I was given this opportunity to focus on developing my artist endeavor and for the support and encouragement of my family, friends and the art community. I’m only sad that my father passed away in 2020 and I never got the chance to share my art with him. I know he would have been proud of me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nuhamoretz.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moretznuha/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Moretznuha/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nuha-moretz-33726880/