EDUCATION
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
American University of Beirut, Department of Architecture & Design, class of 2015.
WORK / EXPERIENCE
Co-founder, Maamoul Press / 2018 – present
Maamoul Press is a multi-disciplinary small press and collective for the creation, curation and dissemination of art at the intersection of comics, printmaking and book arts, uplifting work from a diverse range of creators from marginalized backgrounds.
Media Designer, Arab American National Museum / 2015 – present
Responsible for planning, developing, designing and maintaining print and digital visual communications for AANM and its programs. Projects include branding and promotional materials for exhibitions, events and programming, including the Concert of Colors music festival, Arab Film Festival, Arab American Book Awards, MOVE/DIWAN biennial conference; institutional documents and materials; annual report; merchandise for The AANM Store; updating and maintaining websites and other online applications. Also Exhibitions Committee member, Artist Residency Committee member.
Intern, Studio Safar / July – Aug. 2014
Worked on identity, logo design, packaging design, solo execution of a detailed illustrated map.
Intern, Polypod / June – July 2013
Worked on identity, website building and publication design.
Founding member, designer, art editor, Rusted Radishes: Beirut Literary and Art Journal / 2012 – 2013
Collaborated on branding, promotional materials and journal/layout design; judged art submissions, maintained webpage and social media.
Research assistant, AUB Department of Architecture & Design slide library / 2012 – 2013
Worked on sorting, organizing and cataloguing archival slides, maps and projects.
Member, Jamaa Al-Yad / 2011 – present
Collaborating on projects engaged in the global fight for equality and justice through art, printmaking, curation and more.
SELECT FREELANCE WORK
Arab American Studies Association / 2017, 2020
Triennial conference program booklet, signage design
Hamtramck, USA documentary film (world premiere SXSW* cancelled due to Covid-19) / 2020
Illustrated film poster
Halal Metropolis exhibition series / 2019 – 2020
Branding, exhibition design, promotional materials
Mizna Arab Film Festival / 2019
Poster concept/design, promotional materials
Muslim Group of USA & Canada / 2015 – 2019
Annual conference branding, design of posters, banners, other material
The World Bank / 2018
Textbook cover design
SAFE Substance Abuse Coalition / 2017
Branding
Muslim Youth Connection / 2017
Promotional material design
Lighthouse Institute & RISE Summit / 2016 – 2017
Branding, promotional material design
Dubai Art Week / 2015
Assisted with catalogue layout design, art directed by Mira Mourtada
The Lighthouse Initiative / 2014 – 2015
Poster, promotional material design; social media management
BTWOP (Beirut Typewriters Open Performance) / 2012 – 2013
Monthly poster series; social media management
Nine Sport Inc / 2012
Illustration of staff portraits
AWARDS / EXHIBITIONS
Emerging Artist Commission, Future Present exhibition / 2020-21
Science Gallery Detroit. Exhibited at 1001 Woodward, Detroit and MSU Art Lab, East Lansing; MI
SXSW 2020 Poster Gallery / 2020
*Online at Fast Company following SXSW cancellation due to Covid-19
Maamoul Press showcase (exhibit + curator), Halal Metropolis exhibition series / 2019-20
Exhibited at Bank Suey, Hamtramck; Arthur Secunda Museum, Howell; Stamelos Gallery, University of Michigan-Dearborn; MI
Winner (Maamoul Press), Knight Arts Challenge grant / 2019
Detroit, MI
Winner (Maamoul Press), CultureSource Creators of Culture grant / 2019
Detroit, MI
Jury selection, Print International exhibition / 2019
Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham, Wales
Jury selection, PROOF exhibition / 2019
Downriver Council for the Arts, Wyandotte, MI
Winner, 100 Best Arabic Posters / 2018
Exhibited at Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi; RiseUp Summit, Cairo; 100BAP conference, German University of Cairo; and University of Sharjah, UAE
–
Attendee Showcase, SWANA Creators Network Gathering / 2018
20th annual Allied Media Conference, Detroit, MI
SPEAKING / WORKSHOPS / GUEST ENGAGEMENTS
Selections committee, Mizna: The Comix Issue / 2020
Mizna Journal
Presenter, ‘Belonging, Artistic Expression and Ashura’ / 2020
Muharram 2020 series, Manāra Collective, virtual
Co-facilitator, Zine-Makers Meetup / 2020
Allied Media Conference, virtual
Workshops, Maamoul Press Monthly Pop-Up Series / 2020
Various metro Detroit venues
Panelist, ‘Muslim Fandom: Geeks, Nerds, Cosplayers & Creators’ / 2019
New York Comic Con, New York
Co-facilitator, ‘Comics for All: Visual Storytelling As Resistance’ / 2019
re:publica Detroit
Workshop, Coptic Book-Binding / 2019
Book + Print Fest, Arab American National Museum, Dearborn
Co-teacher, Dearborn Comics Workshop / 2019
City Hall Artspace Lofts, Dearborn
An 8-week workshop providing intensive theoretical + hands-on learning about comics to participants via lectures, demos, exercises, studio time and feedback sessions as participants create their own comics zines.
Panelist, ‘The Immigrant Experience and the Roots of the Comic Art Form’ / 2018
Green Brain Comics, Dearborn
–
Presenter, ‘Design in Comics’ / 2017
Arab American National Museum, Dearborn
Moderator, ‘Arab American Women in Comics’ / 2015
Comique Con, Dearborn
–
PRESS
/ 2017
The Arab American News
Maamoul Press
‘Arabic Comics Reach a Wider Audience Through Digital Projects’
/ 2020
Al-Fanar Media
‘Maamoul Press prints comics by Middle Eastern women, for Middle Eastern women (and everyone else, too)’
/ 2019
Creative Exchange
Jamaa Al-Yad
[TBA]
Rusted Radishes
Talk 20 presentation
/ 2014
Talk 20 annual conference, Beirut
TV profile, Lamasat
/ 2013
Rusted Radishes team interview on Lamasat / FutureTV
SELECT CONFERENCES / FESTIVALS
/ Oct. 2019
Panelist, Attendee
College Art Association Conference, NYC
/ Feb. 2019
Attendee
–
Allied Media Conference incl. SWANA Creators Network Gathering, Detroit
/ June 2018
Vendor, attendee, artist showcase
–
RAWI Conference, Houston
/ June 2018
Vendor, attendee
–
MOVE Arab American Summit incl. DIWAN: A Forum for the Arts, Dearborn
/ Nov. 2017
Staff, attendee
–
Cairo Comix, Cairo
/ Sept. 2017
Attendee
–
AANM Book + Print Fest, Dearborn
/ April 2017
Vendor
–
Comique Con, Dearborn
/ Oct. 2016, 2018
Attendee
–
Comique Con, Dearborn
/ Oct. 2015
Panel moderator, attendee
–
Arab Comics Symposium, Beirut
/ March 2015
Attendee
–
Talk 20 annual conference, Beirut
/ April 2011-2014
Attendee
Maamoul Press
Allied Media Conference, Virtual
/ July 2020
Session facilitator
FOCAL POINT Art Book Fair, Sharjah, U.A.E.
/ Nov. 2019
Vendor
MOVE Arab American Summit, Dearborn
/ Nov. 2019
Vendor
Detroit Art Book Fair, Detroit
/ Oct. 2019
Vendor
re:publica Detroit
/ Sept. 2019
Session facilitator
New York Art Book Fair, Queens
/ Sept. 2019
Vendor
MoCA BOUND Art Book + Zine Fair, Cleveland
/ Sept. 2019
Vendor
Chicago Alternative Comics Expo (CAKE), Chicago
/ June 2019
Vendor
Toronto Comic Arts Festival (TCAF), Toronto
/ May 2019
Vendor
AANM Book + Print Fest, Dearborn
/ April 2019
Partner, vendor, workshop lead
MSU Comics Forum, East Lansing
/ Feb. 2019
Vendor
SELECT WORKSHOPS / TRAININGS
Islamic calligraphy workshop with Hajji Noor Deen / Dec. 2017
Comic strip workshop with Barrack Rima / Spring 2015
Final Cut Pro training with Raffi Boyadjian / Spring 2014
Design workshop with Malte Martin and Nawal Bakouri / Spring 2014
Arabic calligraphy workshop with Ali Assi / Fall 2011
LANGUAGES
Fluent in English and Arabic