By Meryl Mathew
The colorful hustle and bustle of any bazaar filled with all sorts of merchandise is any day a beautiful sight. Among them the creative handicraft artists with all their specifically handmade pieces is definitely something that should not be missed.
Kuwait has recently seen a boom in this culture with the various markets and fairs that usually take place during the winter months and the emergence of hidden talents coming to the surface since then.
Held every November the British Ladies Society Bazaar has been a great platform for handicraft artists in Kuwait. They are not only a social group, but are actively involved with two charitable causes, one in the UK and one in Kuwait and the proceeds they collect go to the causes.
Another fabulous platform for artists, Artspace have been organizing the Marketspace for handicraft artists since 2017. They love conscious creatives who produce handmade, eco-friendly sustainable goods. The event is in a synchronized dance with the seasons and they try to host one every month during the winter season.
“There is nothing more exquisite than an original work of art that is made with love.”, describes Artspace co-founder Sarah Chouari.
The Yarmouk cultural center is another great platform. They have been organizing the Yarmouk Fall Festival for 5 years and every year they host a music and handicraft bazaar as part of the festival to celebrate our diverse community of artists.
“The Big Bazaar’ is another festival that has been running for 6 years and takes place on the last Thursday of November. The market celebrates the spirit of the season with holiday music and local vendors showcasing their crafts. The event also offers selected local volunteer organizations with free spaces to raise funds. “The revolution of the hand-craft market in Kuwait is an exciting trend. People are starting to want to find unique items that have been invested with time and care instead of mass produced things”, says Elaine Haidar
Most artists who have been a part of these events have been testing the market for quite some time and what they have learned proves how dedication and passion can lead to create an identity that defines us.
“Patience is key, it takes time to both create a piece and at the same time to find a platform for your work”, says Ghada Rezkalla (@macrame_by_ghadarezkalla), a talented Macrame artist. She is self- taught and finds the craft a therapeutic way to escape from stress. Ghada never follows a pattern but always lets her passion lead her as she joins knots to create patterns that surprise her.
Shelby Allaho (@stitchstorycrochet) is another fiber artist who designs beautiful crochet jewelry and accessory patterns. In addition to being a crochet designer, she also collaborates with her husband Emad and have created their own line of stitchable pendants, crochets and weaving kits and her daughter on a line of handspun yarns.. “I love to create things that allow others to be creative themselves,” says Shelby.
“It’s about finding the right market for yourself, candles are perfect gifts so I have come to realize that corporates can become my best customers”, says Sweta (@asoykuwait) . She introduced handmade soy wax candles to the market of Kuwait, with the hope to bring in environment friendly candles that are known for their lovely fragrances.
Handmade natural soaps have also been well received in Kuwait’s market. Darras Odilie (@Bo_ Savon) explains “It’s only been my consistent passion and love for soap making that has pushed me to find time to create natural soaps”. She has been creating handmade natural soaps with olive oil in fancy shapes, beauty oils with organic sesame oil and geranium rosat oil and natural bath salts.
Nihad Nabil (@silvertosilver) is a silver jeweler who uses sterling silver 925 and semi-precious stones to create jewelry inspired by the middle eastern culture and Islamic art. She knows that “It is only due to the honest work she puts into each piece; has she been recognized”. She has also been collaborating with calligraphy artists to create beautiful but meaningful pieces as well
Sidney Scallan (Sidney-Scallan-Art on Facebook) is another artist who has been an artist since her university days and has had successful exhibitions in Seoul, South Africa and Canada. Her various experiments in mixed media art over the years has led her to discover a craft niche in art, beadwork and recycled elements. Sidney believes her combination of wood and stone that creates a natural synergy for her work has helped her create colorful and multi- dimensional pieces.
Another assorted artist team who loves to knit, decoupage, make jewelry, cards and bows is Alicia and Beatriz who together (@craftymama.kw and @ alicexmas) create festival crafts and they use various mediums for their work. “Explore different mediums to find out what works best for you” would be their advice.
Then there are artists like Emad Allaho (@Ewood_q8) who has discovered happiness from showing the process of his work to others. Emad Allaho is a woodworker by passion and believes that wood is always a living material, and using wood for decorative pieces brings life to any place it is in. He custom designs his work and creates beautiful unique furniture, accessories and kitchenware.
Mayyar (@mayyaraswad) does not create with the motive to just sell. All his handicrafts are inspired from nature is made from objects people throw away. Mayyar points out that “Simplicity and creativity in everything is what my process is all about”. His only dream is for his work to be found at a museum, one day.
Stephanie (@stephart_kw) is another artist who creates handmade home accessories and décor from wood. Her work is simple but eye-catching signs. Since the idea to create something out from wood had encountered she has spent a lot of time researching to teach herself what best way to work on wood. “All it takes is a little bit of time and effort”, says Stephanie
Screen printing artist Carolina (@lacarodesigns) is another artist who has introduced her homeware label called La Caro designs that features hand screen printed designs with her line of tea towels, cushions, tote bags and wall hangings. She creates all her prints from ecofriendly ink and is always on the lookout for inspiration from the community and culture around.
The Untitled (@theuntitledbag_kw) creates ecofriendly souvenirs that tourists can take home in their mission to eliminate plastics. They incorporate Kuwait’s story in their bags with images of the culture and different landmarks. “Find a meaning or mission for your work, and you will surely be rewarded, describes Tyas.
Create (@create.kuwait) is another initiative with a mission. Create displays upcycled handbags and t-shirts that could have gone to waste. With the motto to give new life, create strives not to add more waste but find a creative way to reuse.
“I’m inspired by a culture of arts that is related to myths and tales”, says Zainab (@Zainabart915), who creates simple yet powerful abstracts using paint on wood, paper or canvas. Zainab believes in showcasing symbols in bright colors that have a purpose or meaning
Philip (@philip_kamble) is another artist who uses only paints. He specializes in watercolors and has based most of his work on the landmarks of Kuwait as seen in the 60s and 70s. Philip explains “I want to encourage more artists to embrace basic techniques in their work because sometimes a simple watercolor painting is all you need to catch the respect as an artist”
Meryl Mathew is a Logistician by profession, a writer by passion and an upcycling hobbyist. She involves herself in a lot of multi-cultural events across Kuwait. You can find her on Muckrack and on Instagram @Meryl_elizebeth_mathew or @create.kuwait. Featured image courtesy of Mebin Mathews who can be found as @mebzz on Instagram.
