Showing posts with label QatART. Show all posts
Showing posts with label QatART. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Thank you Qatar

Wednesday blog post #5

It all happened here in Qatar...
4 years ago I decided to start my little brand Les Chérubins, building it from the scratch. I didn't know anything about the country, about the market, about the customers... I just started with few paintings and printed cards to try out how it will go at one of the bazaars.

My first bazaar at Grand Hyatt Hotel organized by American Women Association  in November 2011


Around the same time, I joined the art group International Artists Doha and everything started picking up little by little. My wings started to grow :D

I really don't know how many markets, bazaars and pop-up shops I have attended in these 4 years but it is quite a number. My favorites were Katara QatART Handmade Markets, Museum of Islamic Art Park Bazaars and Doha Mums Markets.

Museum of Islamic Art Park Bazaar

Here I had the opportunity to exhibit my paintings together with other members of the International Artists Doha as well as with members of the Qatar Fine Arts Society. I still can't believe that I had 7 group exhibition in 3 years! I can now say that my artworks are in many homes around the world.

group photo of the International Artists Doha at the opening of the group exhibition in March 2015


My last group exhibition with the International Artists Doha in March 2015


One of the things I am really proud off is founding and leading the handmade community called QatART.  My dear friend Gabi (who I met at my first bazaar) and I shared the vision of organizing our own markets. With a little help from the manager of the Inspiration Station Mel and with help of lovely friends Aly, Janiththri and Leila our vision started coming alive in 2013. After that 2 more lovely ladies Amira and Kerstin joined the board team and I am really happy that we all shared the same passion to keep the community live, growing and becoming more professional. We managed to agree on collaboration with Katara Art Studios and we got the opportunity to host the community handmade markets, workshops and gatherings at their premisses on a regular basis. I want to give huge thanks to the Katara Art Studios team especially to lovely Miss Hyyeya who is always supportive and always smiling!

QatART handmade community board team. From up left to right Kerstin, me, Amira, Janiththri, Leila and Aly
Some of the members of QatART community at our summer party 2015


Such an amazing things happened here and I am really grateful for all of the opportunities.

I met so so so many talented artists and crafters from all around the globe, that is priceless.



I also met so many lovely customers who became my dear friends.

I will never forget all my lovely friends I've met here and please stay in touch where ever you are. You never know we might end up living in same country!!!

Thank you Qatar for giving me the wings!!!! I will never forget this period of my life.
Hopefully this is not a goodbye and that I will have the opportunity to come back even as a tourist :D


Sending you my smile with love,
Dominika






Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Athens, crabs and goodbye

Wednesday blogpost #3

Wanna know what I have been doing the past two weeks?
Yeah?
First I went to Athens for a vacation while my husband was in a training there.
I had a little bit of everything, tanning at the beach because our hotel was located right at the beach in Kavouri area,  lots of sightseeing, and a day at the spa. 

Athens - Acropolis
Beach - Kavouri area
Guards in front of the Parliament

I also had a little bit of time to make few illustrations for a May's Make Art That Sells Bootcamp assignment which was to create a set of plates from crustacean pattern imagery.
I made couple of illustrations of different crabs and couple of colorful patterns, all in watercolors. After scanning them and editing them in photoshop I started working on a plate design, combining all the icons together. Really amazing assignment and I hope I will have time to make more of them just for fun. Looking forward to our next and last assignment in June :D
You can find a gallery with over 250 designs from different artists on this link (mine is on a page 4 :D).





And yesterday I said goodbye to my artsy friends from my handmade community QatART. In less then a month we are moving for good from Qatar. They prepared a sweet heartwarming gift for me, a jar full of their messages which made me cry :( I will for sure miss all my friends and all I have built in this four and a half years here in Doha.

QatART artisans at the Summer Party


Sending you my smile with love,
Dominika

Monday, March 30, 2015

Time for a treat

Monday blog post #99

Finally a little break :D
March was a really busy month for me. I've done 3 markets, 1 group exhibition and I have participated in a robot workshop at the Tasmeem - art and design conference. There were also some custom orders I was working on and some are still in progress.

It was a perfect timing to celebrate all that and treat our self so hubby and I went on a day trip to Banana Island in Qatar on Saturday. It was beautiful and we spent a perfect day with an amazing food from arabic restaurant and a great massage at the Anantara Spa. I could spend there every weekend!







And here are few photos from my last market at Katara which might be my last market before the summer break so if you are interested in my artworks and products please contact me at cherubins3@gmail.com






As I was busy with all the events I was participating in, I didn't have much time to create but I painted two custom ordered paintings, few hand painted pillows and a cute hand painted elephant toy which has already found a new home. I was also asked to do hand painted metal tins for one famous restaurant/cafe in Doha :D






Thank you for visiting my blog!

Sending you my smile with love,
Dominika

Monday, March 16, 2015

Art week in Doha

Monday blog post #98

Oh it has been so busy over here that I forgot to write the post on last Monday. 
I have a plan to start publishing blog posts on Wednesday after I reach 100 posts. I am also planing to make a giveaway then so don't miss it! 
To be sure you don't miss it sign up for my cute emails and/or subscribe for RSS feed to get my posts delivered to your email.

So, what was happening over the last 10 days?
I participated in 11th Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March at Katara Art Studios Courtyard in Doha. Here is a little glimpse of the atmosphere.
I also gave an interview to my handmade community QatART during the market which you can read on this link. There was also a jeournalist from Gulf Times and the interview is published the next day. Find it on this link.



Photo of my table at Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March 2015

Photo of my table at Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March 2015

Photo of my table at Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March 2015

Photo of my table at Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March 2015

Photo of my table at Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March 2015

Photo of my table at Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March 2015

Photo of my table at Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March 2015

Photo of my table at Katara QatART Handmade Market on 6th March 2015
Day after the market, on Saturday 7th March there was an opening of the International Artists Doha Summer exhibition and I am participating in this exhibition with one painting called Arabia. The opening was simple but I am really happy and proud of another exhibition in Qatar. Exhibition is open and running until 26th March daily from 8am-8pm so there is plenty of time to go and see the artworks from 21 international artists all based in Qatar.

International Artists Doha Summer exhibition 2015

International Artists Doha Summer exhibition 2015
International Artists Doha Summer exhibition 2015

International Artists Doha Summer exhibition 2015


The following week starting from Sunday, 8th March until 12th March I was all day every day at Virginia Commonwealth University at the art and design conference Tasmeem 3ayeeb 2015.
I was participating in a workshop with Jan de Coster where we were making robots. The last day it was an exhibition with all the works made in different workshops organized at this conference. During the conference there were lectures and presentations and even Valentino was there, that was pretty amazing! Last two days of the conference I was invited to the POP-UP Market where I was selling my work.

My robot Cutie

My robot Cutie

My robot Cutie

Robots made in a workshop with Jan de Coster

and here are few photos from the market.

POP-UP Market at VCU-Q during Tasmeem 3ayeeb 2015

POP-UP Market at VCU-Q during Tasmeem 3ayeeb 2015

Chiara - a fashion blogger Bonjour Chiara and me at
POP-UP Market at VCU-Q during Tasmeem 3ayeeb 2015

POP-UP Market at VCU-Q during Tasmeem 3ayeeb 2015

POP-UP Market at VCU-Q during Tasmeem 3ayeeb 2015

POP-UP Market at VCU-Q during Tasmeem 3ayeeb 2015
My next and the last event before summer is on Friday, 20th March at Katara. Stop by if in Doha!!!
Follow the event on this link. I am also participating in QatART  Giveaway where you can win my art print "Circus on my head" or original collage "Good morning blue".  Hop on to QatART Facebook page to find it.

Thank you for visiting my blog and hope to see you again!

Sending you my smile with love,
Dominika


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