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Farooq Karim

Art has always been a part of my life. It is woven so completely into my memories that I cannot remember a time without this expression of color and imagination. There were many other colorful elements woven into my childhood…my wonderful, brilliant mother who accomplished so much and brought home broken components of mail sorters from her work at the postal training center. My first memory is using those broken pieces to create art. And my steadfast, creative Pakistani father, who influenced me greatly with his architectural career and passion for helping others. And my American grandmother who visited regularly and eventually moved in with us. When she visited, we painted and then turned the garage into an art museum to display our work. And my Pakistani grandmother who lived with us, spoke only her native language, cooked amazing meals, and always had a snack for me after school. They all are dear to me and have a heavy influence on my work today.

The biggest inspiration of my art and my life is Blossom, my dear wife. She is my dreaming partner, my encourager, my rock, and my soulmate. Every piece of art I create has “Blossom” as part of its name.

My other inspiration is stories of people, and each piece has a story.

These stories are about friendships, both new and old, and they are about joyfulness. There is so much darkness and negativity in the world right now, I want to help bring light. I believe these stories are a positive touchpoint. This is how I want to see the world, and this is how I want people to see my art.