Our Team
Zahid Naqvi
My fascination with calligraphy started somewhere in junior high when a teacher suggested I start practicing writing with a broad edge pen. Since then I have always been fascinated with the “written word” in all languages and styles. Of special interest was the Urdu and Arabic fonts. In Spring of 2019 I formally started working with the world renown calligrapher Haji Noor Deen in the traditional Arabic calligraphy styles. That journey continues to this day. The student teacher relationship is a life long relationship, it never ends.
Besides being a practicing calligrapher I am an art aficionado and seek out and engage with any artist who is willing to discuss their art. I find it fascinating how each artist has a different perspective on their work and the calligraphic art. Talking to an artist about their art gives you a completely new perspective on each piece.
I am hoping through the Contemporary Calligraphy Studio project I can share my love for calligraphy with others, as well as promote the calligraphic arts.
Fouzia Zahra
The unification of words, color and form!
Architect by training, Interior Designer by profession, and a hobbyist artist!
My favorite aspect in all the creative fields that I have worked in, has been the interplay of design elements, colors and forms. My approach in design and art is to experiment and offer unique experiences that challenge the existing ideas. Working on projects, I learnt the value of component and detail, the work of each artisan, craftsman and team member needs to shine in its own capacity to create the most successful designs and spaces.
CC Studio is a collaboration of artists and minds that are invested in their passion for calligraphy. My engagement in this project is focused on connecting the essence of the written word to the visual realm. In my art I make a conscious effort not to use any recognizable forms, to stimulate each mind to form its own interpretation. I want the artwork to be an immersive experience that evokes varied responses. To achieve this, I use variation in color saturation and intensity, the scale and texture of strokes adds another layer of tactile experience.
Reading the Quranic Verses and poetry in many languages, I realized that the true essence of the written word is also similar! It aims to connect with each of us in a unique personal way, no two people perceive an artwork in the same way, similarly no two people comprehend and absorb the written word in the same way!
There is room for imagination!
I hope our journey of passion brings a unique perspective in the way we appreciate calligraphy and art!