Artist Feature: Rawdhat Juma
Assalamu’alaykum!
My name is Rawdhat and I create purposeful art through lino printing.
What inspired me to start sharing this growing passion was my love for photography and poetry. I have always found creative ways to express my love for my religion. Similarly, to approximately 1.9 Billion Muslims around the world, Islam runs my way of life and I have found that sharing my love for Islam through artistic means has connected me with other beautifully talented Muslims.
Ultimately because of this love, I started to reflect my photography and poetry into my art, imbedding my abstract thinking (when writing poetry) and my photography mindset into my lino print designs. One of my recent prints ‘Full Moon’ was inspired by my love for the Prophet Mohammad (saw) and narrations of his beauty being compared to a night of a full moon.
When I first made a plunge into trying to get my art out there, I was very nervous and excited. You can ask my close friend Aishah, she faced countless messages and voice notes from me, May Allah preserve her and increase here in goodness, Ameen. But with anything new that you try and share with the world there will always be a mix of emotions. In addition to this new environment, the journey of promoting my art as well getting recognition has been insightful. I’ve realised it might take a while for people to understand my aim, including my own family who are new to this art journey, but I am very hopeful, and I have to believe in myself and the art I am creating.
The main focal point of my art is to create prints that connect with Muslims. Whether it’s through my lino print based on Prophet Yunus (Jonah) AS, reminding my Muslim sisters and brothers to always turn to Allah when in moments of hardship or my lino print of birds, reminding us to have full Trust in Allah in every situation we are in.
I believe creating lino prints that have purposeful meanings to them which can be put on hoodies, bags, posters etc. relates to this generation of Muslims and what they're looking for in art. I have found that this generation is always so proud and passionate to showcase their identity through their creative outlets. Although there are many times where Islam is presented in a negative light, this is my small gesture to present the honour we have been gifted by Allah.
May Allah keep us steadfast, Ameen.
By Rawdhat Juma
You can support and purchase Rawdhat's art here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/rawrtprints