Jawaher al Maqbali does not rush to explain her work. Like her art, it unfolds slowly, deliberately, inviting rather than insisting. An Omani artist and author, she occupies a rare creative space where expression is not about performance or display, but about listening. To the self. To the unseen. To what lives quietly beneath language.
Her journey began, as many do, with a love for art itself. Drawing, creating, expressing. Yet when she stepped into the role of an art teacher, spending five years guiding others through technique and form, something deeper revealed itself. Teaching showed her that art is never only about skill. It is a mirror. A doorway into inner worlds people often struggle to name, emotions, memories and stories carried silently for years.
Over time, Jawaher felt the limitations of staying within a single role. Technique alone was not enough. She wanted to understand what art was touching beneath the surface. Writing entered her life not as a career move, but as a necessity, a way to make sense of her own inner questions. Gradually, art and writing merged, becoming tools of self exploration rather than expression for an audience. From that shift, Jawaher emerged not only as an artist, but as an author whose work prioritises meaning over visibility.
This philosophy became the foundation of Starlight Family, a platform she created after witnessing how many people carry unspoken emotions without any tools to process them. Through structured art journaling and writing practices, participants are guided to externalise what is buried inside, beliefs, fears, emotional patterns, without the pressure of explanation. The work happens on paper, through the hand, bypassing the defences of logic and language. What emerges is clarity, emotional release and a deeper understanding of the self.
Her book, Between Dark and Light: 40 Days of Pure Contemplations in Life, was born from a deeply personal period of inner questioning. It is not a guidebook, nor a manual for improvement. Instead, it acts as a quiet companion for those existing in the in between, between certainty and doubt, heaviness and light. The pages invite readers to pause, observe and listen inwardly, offering space rather than answers.
Jawaher’s workshops follow a similar rhythm. Each one is designed with an emotional and psychological flow, gently guiding participants through writing and expressive art to uncover hidden beliefs and release emotional weight. Her aim is not to “fix” anyone, but to help people leave feeling lighter, clearer and more honest with themselves.
Living abroad in Canada with her husband, who is also an artist, further reshaped her creative lens. Removed from familiar structures and cultural comforts, Jawaher faced a period of deep self confrontation. The experience stripped away illusion and softened her attachment to decoration. Her work grew quieter, more grounded, and more truthful.
Despite wearing many titles, artist, author, content creator, mentor, Jawaher does not compartmentalise her roles. They all emerge from the same source. She simply follows what feels aligned at each stage of her life.
Art journaling and art therapy remain central to her practice because of their honesty. When words or logic fail, she believes, the hand reveals what the mind hides. She has witnessed moments where a single realisation, often rooted in a childhood belief, can fundamentally shift how someone relates to themselves and the world. Those moments, she says, are when the work has done its job.
Moving between cultures has also deepened her empathy. While expressions may differ, Jawaher has learned that inner struggles are universal. Storytelling, whether visual or written, plays a crucial role in creating safety, allowing people to recognise themselves without feeling exposed.
Looking ahead, she stands at an exciting threshold. Jawaher al Maqbali is currently writing a novel she hopes will encourage people, especially Omani women, to go searching for life and to truly live it through its small, real details. Alongside this, she continues to develop courses rooted in drawing and writing, designed to guide people towards clarity, inner peace and reconciliation with themselves.
Her advice to young creatives is simple, yet radical in a world obsessed with visibility, don’t rush. Depth, integrity and self trust matter more than being seen.
Like her work, Jawaher al Maqbali’s presence lingers quietly, between dark and light, where real transformation begins.
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