The 27-year-old Syrian Rahaf Sharani creates a painting using the pin and thread technique at her home in Syria's southern province of Sweida on Jan. 23, 2022. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)
The 27-year-old Rahaf Sharani has tried to revive the Philography, an old pin and thread art in southern Syria, by modernizing it with fresh designs and ideas, and published the works on Internet.
SWEIDA, Syria, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Amid life's endless challenges in Syria, 27-year-old Rahaf Sharani has managed to make time to revive the old pin and thread art her parents once practiced in their hometown in Sweida city in southern Syria.
Between her day job as an art school teacher and her second job as a designer at an advertising agency, as well as her house chores as a wife and mother, Sharani makes some time to create paintings from pins and thread, an old art called Philography.
The 27-year-old Syrian Rahaf Sharani creates a painting using the pin and thread technique at her home in Syria's southern province of Sweida on Jan. 23, 2022. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)
When she was a child, Sharani's mother and father had made some paintings using that technique, but at the time, she didn't really pay much attention.
Until one day, she saw at home one of the old paintings her dad and mom had once done. It was a simple pin and thread work, but was enough to challenge her to try doing something similar.
The 27-year-old Syrian Rahaf Sharani creates a painting using the pin and thread technique at her home in Syria's southern province of Sweida on Jan. 23, 2022. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)
She got plywood, nails, and strings and started creating her own painting. One piece after another, she was gradually able to draw portraits with pins and threads as well as shapes of animals and other designs. The technique was finally able to make a living for her out of a hobby.
"Our generation and the generation after us are not aware of this art. I wanted to introduce the art to them and draw their attention in a way to revive this ancient Philography art," she told Xinhua.
Sharani also tries to modernize it with fresh designs and ideas.
The 27-year-old Syrian Rahaf Sharani creates a painting using the pin and thread technique at her home in Syria's southern province of Sweida on Jan. 23, 2022. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)
She created a Facebook page posting photos of her works, and was able to have clients from outside Sweida, who submitted special requests for paintings on special occasions. Thus, Sharani has started designing wall clocks and other shapes as the demands have become more diverse.
"People seemed to like this art, so I become more encouraged and wanted to develop this art even further," she said.
With all the efforts she is putting in, the woman believes that her effort demands more attention that's why she hopes her work be delivered to other countries in the region. ■
