Story
As a cultural consultant, Rana promotes and preserves the city’s rich cultural heritage by providing expert advice on various projects and initiatives. With her unique blend of creativity and expertise, Rana is a true ambassador for the city of Amman and its cultural identity.
In addition to her artistic and consultancy work, Rana is a public speaker and has delivered a TEDx talk titled “Amman, the Story” to impact the community. She also served on the judging committee for the British Embassy and British Council, where she played a key role in defining four prize categories for professionals who studied in the UK.
Overall, Rana’s work draws inspiration from a love letter she wrote to her hometown, reflecting her deep connection to Amman and the broader culture in which she grew up. Her art, consultancy projects, photography, tours and written works as well as public talks are an ode to her homeland, capturing the beauty and energy of her home.
The Artist
One of the hallmarks of Rana’s work is her unconventional use of a knife instead of a brush, which infuses her canvases with a distinctive energy and texture. She also skillfully utilizes a wide variety of color palettes, ranging from harmonious to boldly contrasting. The exquisite colors with which she lavishes her canvases invites a sensual interaction while the thickly layered oil paint offers a tactile sensation that is almost tangible.
With a focus on a niche market of luxury and artistic travel, Rana offers small bespoke cultural and anthropological tours where she exposes visitors to art, design, craft, food and the socio-economic texture of Jordan. Her primary clients include individuals, couples and affinity groups who travel for leisure and cultural purposes.
Current services feature walking tours of historic Amman neighborhoods with integrated discussions of architecture and the historical narrative of the city and people. Along the way, visitors will have the opportunity to visit galleries, artists’ ateliers and the workshops of local craftspeople. Rana’s tours further incorporate visits to homes for lunches and dinners with organizations as well as families and individuals who hail from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and neighborhoods.
Ultimately, Rana brings together the practical street smarts of an Amman native with the sensibilities of an artist who has ‘seen’ her city through the media of photography, oil painting and mixed media. Trust her to navigate Amman’s traffic and maze of narrow streets, while she opens up a world of culture, art and history that goes beyond the typical guidebook, providing tourists with an experience of Amman they will never forget. So, join Rana for an unforgettable journey through the country’s past, present, and future.
Achievements
Books
Emotional Landscape (2021)
Letters of Gold: State of the Spirit (2013)
Awakening Dreams IV – Nabad Art Gallery – Group Exhibition (October 2022)
Awakening Dreams III – Wadi Finan Gallery – Group Exhibition (September 2021)
Awakening Dreams II – JoDar Artistry – Group Exhibit (October 2020)
Awakening Dreams I – Nofa Creative Space – Group Exhibit (October ‘19)
Artist of the Month – Blue Fig – Solo Exhibit (October ‘19)
Colorful Contemplations Exhibit – Zara Center – Group Exhibit (April ‘14)
Artist of the Month – The Good Bookshop – Solo Exhibit (December ‘14)
Artist of the Month – Blue Fig Café – Solo Exhibit (October ‘13)
Art Exhibit at the Jordan Festival – Zara Center – Group Exhibit (July ‘08)
Nights of Jordanian Treasures – UNESCO Premises, Paris (April ‘07) – Launched by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdallah
Steps and Stones – UNESCO Premises – Solo Exhibit (February ‘01)
Faces and Places – Artisana Crafts Center – Solo Exhibit (September ‘99)
Jordan through Sand, Paper and Lens – American Embassy – Group Exhibit (June ‘99)