Shatha Altowai at Edinburgh Printmakers
Shatha Altowai is award-winning Yemeni visual artist based in Edinburgh. She is a self-taught artist who started her art journey in 2014 amidst the ongoing civil war in Yemen; much of her work reflects the aspects of life in her society, particularly women's issues and the suffering caused by the conflict.
We welcomed Shatha to Edinburgh Printmakers at the beginning of February, after she had already completed a 6-day course in Etching under the tutorship of Jessica Crisp. Etching was her main focus in the studio, coming in nearly every day to develop her work and continue learning about the ins and outs of the entire process. Working alongside the technicians initially, she showed that she had real drive and determination and kept producing beautiful, technically difficult work involving hard/soft ground and aquatint.
The final etchings that Shatha produced here at Edinburgh Printmakers are powerful images to behold. They have a very important story to tell, using mark making to create a memorial for the lives of children lost to war in Yemen. Her colour choice of Permanent Red Intaglio Ink was intended to grab attention by making a bold statement with a bright, strong color about the issue she is highlighting.