Today, as an American, I celebrate both my Moroccan and American cultures and appreciate the unique perspectives each has given me. I also speak French fluently, and because French language and culture were an important part of my education and upbringing, I identify with that cultural influence as well. Living across different cultural spaces has taught me that identity is not limited to a single nationality, language, or tradition. Instead, it is shaped by the many experiences, communities, and values that become part of who we are.

Q: Are there memories or experiences from Morocco that continue to influence your artistic vision today?

A: My memories of Morocco remain central to my artistic vision. Growing up in Amazigh culture in the Souss region, I was surrounded by a visual and emotional language expressed through patterns, textures, silence, and strength. The presence of women, the rhythms of daily life, and the symbolism embedded in tradition continue to influence my work. I don’t recreate these memories literally; I translate them emotionally into colour, form, and atmosphere.

Q: Your work centers women’s identity and emotional experience. What first inspired you to explore these themes?

A: I was first inspired by the women around me while growing up. Their strength, resilience, and emotional depth—often expressed quietly—shaped my understanding of womanhood and became a central theme in my work.

Many of my paintings draw from my own family history. In Hada Bent Brahim, I explored the life of my paternal grandmother, whom I never met. She was a nomadic Amazigh woman from the Ait Zekri tribe who endured great hardship while raising many children. Through this work, I reflected on themes of pain, sacrifice, and limited choices while honouring her determination to educate her children. The opportunities I have today are, in many ways, the result of her efforts.

I also pay tribute to my mother and maternal grandmother, both from Essaouira, who raised and inspired me. The city of Essaouira appears throughout my work as a symbol of memory, belonging, and cultural heritage. Through my paintings, I seek to give visibility to women’s stories, emotions, and experiences that are often left unspoken.

My paintings draw on personal and collective memory, exploring themes of identity, resilience, inheritance, and belonging. This approach has been featured in the Moroccan cultural magazine Madarat Al Thaqafia, which highlighted my artistic practice and exploration of women’s experiences. By centering interior experience, I aim to offer a more nuanced and authentic vision of womanhood.

Q: You move between fine art and conceptual visual work. How do you decide which medium best expresses an idea?

A: The idea always determines the medium. Some emotions require a tactile, painterly approach, while others need conceptual distance. I don’t force ideas into a medium; I allow them to reveal how they want to exist.

Q: Can you describe how a personal emotion or memory evolves into a finished artwork?

A: A finished artwork usually begins with a feeling or memory that stays with me rather than a fully defined concept. Over time, that emotion gradually takes shape through sketches, colour choices, and composition. The process is intuitive, and I often come to understand the feeling more clearly through the act of creating itself.

My relationship with colour began in childhood. My father taught me artistic techniques from an early age and encouraged me to experiment with colour as a form of expression. His guidance helped me develop a deep appreciation for the emotional power of color, which remains central to my work today. As I paint, personal memories and emotions are transformed into visual forms, allowing me to communicate experiences that can be difficult to express in words.

Q: How has the experience of living between cultures influenced your creative voice?

A: Living between Morocco and the United States has shaped both my identity and my creative voice. In North Carolina, while working in engineering at Cummins, I was navigating structure, logic, and technical discipline alongside a deeply emotional and cultural inner world rooted in Amazigh identity.

This duality became central to my artistic voice. My work exists in the space where structure meets intuition and where different cultural languages constantly intersect.

That experience broadened my perspective and helped me develop the confidence to express my ideas more clearly.

It also taught me the importance of building a global profile while remaining authentic to my values, culture, and aspirations. Being exposed to mentors and leaders from different backgrounds encouraged me to think beyond geographical boundaries and envision a broader path for my future.

Before pursuing art full-time, I worked as an engineer and was honored to be selected by the Society of Women Engineers to represent North Carolina. I also had the opportunity to meet Congressman Ted Budd and speak before Congress about the importance of women’s representation in engineering. That experience reinforced my belief in the value of visibility and advocacy for women across all fields.

As I transitioned from engineering to art, I was fortunate to find encouragement from organisations and creative communities that supported my growth. Collaborations with Alliance Française de Raleigh, the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Women in Bio, and Women in Tech in the Triangle provided opportunities to share my work and connect with diverse audiences.

Exhibiting my artwork at universities across North Carolina and during International Women’s Day celebrations was particularly meaningful. These experiences helped validate my artistic voice and created bridges between my technical background and my creative practice. They also strengthened my commitment to using art as a way to foster dialogue, representation, and connection.

Q: What advice would you give to young women artists navigating questions of identity and self-expression?

A: Trust your voice, even when it feels uncertain. Your perspective matters because it is yours alone. Do not feel pressured to fit into expectations. Authenticity is not something you add; it is something you protect.

Q: What conversations or emotions do you hope viewers take away from your work?

A: I hope my work creates space for reflection and emotional honesty. I am not interested in providing answers, but in opening a space where viewers can recognize themselves, their memories, or their silence. If my work resonates emotionally, then it has fulfilled its purpose.

Q: What are you currently exploring in your artistic journey, both personally and creatively?

A: I am currently exploring transformation, duality, and identity in motion. My journey from Morocco to the United States, from engineering to art, and from structure to expression continues to shape my work.

Amazigh heritage remains a quiet but constant foundation in my practice, while my experiences in North Carolina, including exhibiting in universities and public spaces, have shaped how I engage with wider audiences. My work exists in the space where all these identities meet and evolve.