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When life gives you lemons Ihaam uses art to make lemonade

Ihaam Ghoor has learned that challenges are the same as waves in the oceans through art.

Ihaam Ghoor becomes unstoppable as soon as she puts her paintbrush on paper.

From a young age, Ghoor from Fourways has always been creative at heart. She tells us she named her first painting the Freedom Wave because she wanted to depict the trials and tribulations that life throws at us at times.

She has had her fair share of difficulties, however, with art, she says, she sees it as a surfboard to ride through the waves – something that also inspired her artistry.

“I see my challenges as waves – sometimes tsunamis and hurricanes. You have to learn to ride the wave. Sometimes you get swallowed and gasp for air, you have to choose how you want to handle staying down and drown or get back on your board.”

Ihaam Ghoor captured next to the painting which helped her deal with difficulties in life. Photo: Ditiro Masuku

Touching on the kind of challenges she faced, she tells us leaving her previous job as an animator became a blessing in disguise. She says being in the office was a limit to her craft.

“It was draining me emotionally and mentally and I didn’t have time for a creative outlet. I went to painting classes for a few months and learnt how to paint and how to use the brush. I watched my teacher, Helen Lowry, her technique and how she uses the brush; she would help me and guide me. Painting brought me back to life, doing something creative fed my soul. Being depressed and burnt out takes a toll on you; there were many dark moments. ‘Keep swimming’, the Dory in me will say. The Freedom Wave gave me back my creative spark.”

Ihaam Ghoor at her haven at the Rustic Market in Fourways with her art in full view for residents to see. Photo: Ditiro Masuku

She now has her own business with paintings that residents love to see as she shows them off at the Rustic Market, a haven for Fourways business enthusiasts.

“When I am feeling overwhelmed with life I know painting is something I need to do. It calms me down and my mind is still when I paint. It’s quiet and I don’t think about anything. I go into my nothing box. I sit and paint and don’t think about how am I going to do it. I just do it. Even if you make a mistake on your canvas you can always just start again. So why worry? And sometimes on a canvas, the mistakes work in your favour.”

One of Ihaam Ghoor’s paintings. Photo: Ditiro Masuku

Ghoor does acrylic painting and is also a resin art teacher. Her style is more 3D interactive. She says this is because she likes to interact with painting like it’s coming out of the canvas.

“I like to paint abstractly. I usually paint from photographs, or my photographs. I mostly do nature. I resonate with nature a lot – as if we can see the beauty of our creator – there is beauty within us. The world is our mirror. I painted Freedom Wave first and everyone in the painting class was impressed. It was also what I was feeling at the time. Being at a crossroads in life and having a feeling of uncertainty, every wave that comes to shore doesn’t break the same way so there is a form of uncertainty. You can see the pain and triumphs within the painting.”

Related Article: Learners get creative during school’s arts festival

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