By Marwa Abedrabbah 

The art pieces all share a common theme: eyes. I’ve heard that the eyes are the gateway to the soul. We can access numerous emotions that can be triggered through the eyes of the pieces. Every color contributes to the atmosphere, from the eyes to the skin texture, to the many brush strokes and techniques used to demonstrate this freedom of the hand to paint without the need for words. I concentrated entirely on the eyes and how, by including different colors, I can tell a tale, a story, about how a lost person may rediscover themselves via the light. 

I was born in Palestine, a land rife with violence and death, and the scenes I’ve witnessed have affected my upbringing and way of thinking. When you meet an eight-year-old, you don’t know their tale, but you can hear their voice and see the anguish and agony in their eyes. Coming from a conflict zone, the details surrounding the eyes show how depressed that soul was. The veiled woman represents the thousands of Palestinian women who hope for a better conclusion, but their eyes tell them differently. The final piece displays the full person; instead of seeing the light, they become the light, as it radiates through their skin and hair; nonetheless, their grief is trailed in the dark background behind them.

THE Lost Eye

This is a portrait of me when I was eight years old. I focused on the eyes since they are where you can see the depth of emotions. I have a tale to tell; the eyes reflect my life. You could become lost if you gaze too deeply. 

The Lost Eye

Blissful Hue

I’ve always been interested in colors, as well as the many textures and techniques that can be used to create the appearance of droplets. Paintings are more than simply colors on paper; they move. As soon as you set your brush on a piece of canvas, you begin to tell a tale.

Blissful Hue

The Veiled Scar

I was inspired by my homeland, Palestine, and the thousands of people who have died as a result of the horrific crimes taking place in Palestine. This is a veiled Muslim woman with only her eyes and nose visible. Her eyes represent grief and sadness tormenting her consciousness, while her wrinkles represent exhaustion from being subjected to a great deal of hardship. This is another illustration of how the eyes may elicit a wide range of emotions.

The Veiled Scar

Uncovered Freedom

This piece unites all of my other pieces by showcasing the complete face and focusing less on the eyes and more on the colors used throughout the artwork, providing liberation from the prison of the spirit, the eyes. They shine through even the darkest circumstances of one’s life as indicated by the dark tint utilized in the backdrop to contrast the brilliant colors.

Uncovered Freedom

Disoriented

The eyes may transmit emotions that go beyond joyful or sad sensations, and they can tell a tale. I focused on the eyes since I feel that they can speak without words. 

Disoriented

Marwa Abedrabbah is a junior majoring in psychology and minoring in biology on the pre-dental track. She thoroughly enjoys volunteering at dental clinics that assist patients from low socioeconomic backgrounds in order to better acknowledge the part of the spectrum that is usually overlooked. In her leisure moments, she paints portraits and employs her hand-eye coordination to bring her concept to life with acrylic and a simple white canvas. Her passion tends to revolve around the artistic attribute of dentistry, which she finds enthralling.