 Throughout my life I have always been most joyous when I am expressing myself creatively. Sharing my vision through art (in whatever medium) has been a part of me for as long as I can remember.
I was born on the 29th of July 1965 in Kuwait. Although my father is of Palestinian origin and my mother is full-blooded Egyptian, my home is America and I am proud to say that I am all American by choice …
My childhood in Kuwait had a profound influence on my art. I was always amazed by how people expressed themselves by adding color to their lives – unconventional color combinations were the norm. Since arid climates foster monochromatic environments, people compensated with color in combinations that would seem odd to western eyes but were and continue to be a trademark of Eastern design. That left a lasting impact on my expression.
Upon moving to the United States in 1983 at the age of 17, I attended the College of Wooster in Ohio where I took classes in pottery, art and sculpture. I realized my passion there and, upon seeing how different my work was in comparison to classmates, I knew I had found the right path to pursue. I eventually attended Parsons School of Design in 2002 where I studied oil painting.
The medium immediately made sense to me – combining colors to achieve subtle hues and layering and texturing paint to achieve a 3D-like quality. Yes, it is time consuming but very gratifying!
I am always so pleased to be able to introduce my work to new people and see how they respond to the subject matter and get lost in the uplifting colors. I believe that color affects all living things profoundly.
I treat life like a canvas and fill it with joyous colors. My legacy will be to leave beautiful paintings that will inspire and lift spirits long after I am gone.
-Walid Khalaf | 
