Fay Al-Ajeel introduces herself simply by her name, but her art speaks volumes about her creativity and innovative spirit. Known for her remarkable coffee paintings, Fay’s journey into the world of art began in her childhood. Inspired by the Kuwaiti television show The Little Artist (Al Fanan Al Saqeer), she dreamed of creating art that would captivate and inspire. “As I was growing up, I found myself loving the sight of art and colors and wanting to try and experiment with more and new things in art,” she says.
Fay’s journey with coffee as a medium began in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown. In what she describes as a happy accident, Fay spilled coffee on a canvas while brainstorming for a painting. Initially frustrated, she later realized how beautiful and unique the coffee stains appeared. From that moment, she decided to explore coffee as a creative medium.
Although Fay does not have formal art training, she considers herself self-taught, with early inspiration from her mother. “My mom was a kindergarten teacher, and she used to make art projects for her students. She’d ask me to help, and to keep me occupied, she’d create drawings full of circles and shapes for me to fill with colors,” Fay explains. This exercise turned out to resemble neurographics, a contemporary art form that deeply influenced her curiosity about various art styles.
Creating coffee art involves a unique process tailored to the type of artwork she plans to create. Fay uses all kinds of coffee, often repurposing expired or used coffee grounds. “It’s a way of recycling or reusing instead of wasting it,” she says. By adjusting the water-to-coffee ratio, she achieves different shades for her paintings, likening the technique to working with watercolors.
Compared to traditional art mediums, coffee offers a sensory dimension. “Coffee makes you use the sense of smell more and freshens up your creativity. It’s harder because you work with one color and its shades to express your ideas,” Fay explains.
Fay’s art is often inspired by Kuwait’s nature, culture, and environment. Her style blends abstract and fine art, creating pieces that are as evocative as they are visually striking. However, working with coffee comes with challenges. “Coffee can rot if not dried correctly or if water is spilled on it,” Fay notes. To preserve her work, she ensures proper drying and occasionally uses protective mediums.
Despite these challenges, Fay enjoys the process immensely. “I love the smell of coffee,” she says. This passion extends to her audience, who are drawn to the unique aroma of her pieces. “The smell of coffee makes people curious and evokes different emotions toward the artwork,” Fay shares.
Fay is not content to limit herself to coffee paintings. She is currently experimenting with coffee clay to create table pieces and envisions further evolving her art in the future. If given the chance, she’d also like to explore hibiscus as a medium. “Hibiscus tea has an amazing color while painting, and it looks even better once it dries,” she says.
For those looking to experiment with unconventional mediums, Fay offers encouragement and patience. “It took me more than two years to perfect my coffee clay recipe. Keep trying—once your project is done, you’ll feel amazing,” she advises.
Through her coffee art, Fay Al-Ajeel demonstrates that beauty can be found in unexpected places. As she puts it, “Making your coffee and using its remains to create something beautiful gives you a great feeling of happiness and accomplishment.”
Fay’s artwork can be seen on her Instagram page, @shadesoffay_art. She is also developing a website and working on RASMMAT, a platform for creative projects.
