Turning strings and nails into masterpieces

MARY OOMMEN -

Art doesn’t always have to be fancy or expensive. Sometimes all you need to create a masterpiece is some string, nails and a lot of patience.

Dr Hafsa Banu Abid, a dentist by profession, discovered String Art some years ago when she was helping her son make an art project for school.

“I was quite intrigued by this art form and began trying different variations using varied gradients of string, nail and wood,” she said. After doing a series of artworks using strings and nails, she gained confidence and began to undertake more complex designs, including Arabic calligraphy and themes drawn from Omani heritage.

From a distance, her artwork resembles a sketch drawn by pen and ink, but a closer look reveals intricately done work, created with long lengths of string meticulously wrapped around nails, creating shapes and shadows in an extremely realistic manner. She creates depth in her artwork by fashioning a web of overlapping string. When the lines created by string are less intersected, the background colour is more visible, while at the points where the string is more intersected, the shades are darker creating an illusion of depth.

Interestingly, Dr Hafsa has not received any formal training in String Art. When asked where she draws her inspiration from, she said, “Oman is home to me, and the beauty it holds is an artists dream come true. I draw my inspiration from whatever touches me emotionally, like the rich Omani heritage and culture, the monuments, natural scenic beauty, the bonding between family and friends, or the beauty of animals. I love colours and textures so I try to use different tones in my artwork.”

A look at some of the artwork created by Dr Hafsa makes one realise that in the right creative hands, everyday materials like string and nails can be transformed into unique pieces of art. “I try to inculcate the vision I have in mind towards creating artwork that will stand out. I have come to realise that we can produce art that looks very real, with a 3-dimensional feel to a picture,” she says.

Last year Dr Hafsa Banu created an interesting portrait of His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos using over 5,000 nails and more than 900 yards of string on a wooden base. Meant as a tribute to His Majesty, Sultan Qaboos, it took her three months of painstaking work to complete the portrait, as she wanted it to be just perfect. She explains, “portraits usually take much longer as it depicts a person and one should be able to capture the features correctly. Usually, the time taken to create String Art depends on the design to be created, the size of the picture, the texture, type and thickness of strings and the base being used. I use strings such as nylon, silk, cotton or metal wires, depending on the effect I need to bring out. Arabic calligraphy, geometrical shapes, animals and monuments can take anything from 20 days to over a month to complete.”

An ardent lover of art, Dr Hafsa Banu has tried her hand at different art forms. She creates beautiful work through the use of paints and uses different mediums like fabric, sand, and glass. She has also dabbled in making clay hand casts that help capture a unique moment in time. So how does a full-time dentist, make time for work and family and yet find time to pursue her passion? Dr Hafsa Banu believes that “We play different roles in life, and each role has its significance and importance. I dedicate most of my time to my profession and my family, but when it comes to doing something for myself, indulging my passion for art is what gives me peace. I try to dedicate some time each day towards creating new artwork. I believe when you are at peace with yourself, you eventually are able to perform your other roles in life more efficiently.”

Dr Hafsa Banu says that she has been receiving a lot of requests to hold workshops where she can teach her craft. “I have not taken any classes as yet, but Insha Allah, maybe in future I will definitely try to do a workshop on guiding people who are interested in learning String Art,” she says. “My advice to new artists would be to keep your dreams alive, work hard, be patient and dedicate your time towards your passion, it will never fail you.”