Zahra Ali

Artist Statement:

Painting to Zahra is solving puzzles in her brain. It gives her a sense of power as she can attempt to control the world around her. This realization came at an early age. As such, her combination of cultural experiences manifest as layers and colors in her work.

She grew up in Karachi, Pakistan with a population of over 15 million. In this urban metropolis, storytelling was iconographed on public busses. Busses are more than a mode of transport for those inside; they are a joyous sight to passers-by that share a story. In a system where bus drivers own their busses, drivers would decorate the bus exteriors to showcase their ancestral origins with lines of poetry interwoven with ethnic iconography.

After obtaining a BFA in Painting from Texas State, she moved to Houston and worked in the field as an artist over the past decade has been a journey of self-discovery.

She paints to express and create pieces that show the world through her lenses; her likes and dislikes. There are times where life is celebrated, and at times she shows life’s dark side with a hint of color.