The Art of MARILENE SAWAF

Marilene Sawaf's art is a blend of bright colors and designs taken from the Mediterranean. Being of Syrian-Lebanese descent, born in Egypt and raised in Lebanon and Italy, she has combined traditional techniques of the countries where she lived to create her own style. Much of her inspiration for the design in the clothing and background is inspired by Oriental carpets as well as Medieval and Renaissance paintings and designs. A product of her past culture, and present taste for rich colors and enigmatic effects, her paintings of women are a reflection of her most subconscious dreams... creating a mysterious environment with dreamy, surrealistic images. Sawaf and her family fled their home in Egypt in 1957 to escape a socialist revolution that had been brewing for some time. The family landed in Milan, Italy, where they lived for eight years. When Sawaf was 10, the family moved to Lebanon, where she lived during her formative years and earned a degree in interior design and architecture. But as she pursued her personal goals, she was again subjected to social unrest. She lived through five years of civil war, which started in 1975. Sawaf had met her future husband in Lebanon, then married in 1980 and moved to the United States. The couple landed in Nashua. She now fills her life with creative pursuits such as painting, photography and jewelry-making.

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