Razwan Ul Haq

I enjoyed art when I was young.  And it is the creative and spiritual side that really interests me.  When I was a teacher I realized that the spiritual side is neglected and resources, especially for Islamic Art, are scant.
 
I suppose it’s hard to say where encouragement came from.  I would have to say that you do get really encouraged when other people like your art.  It makes it worthwhile!
 
The main source of motivation for me is the spiritual dimension.  The soul and the Sacred are really important in my work. 
 
Art is important for us as it is able to take you into another dimension.  Rational disciplines are good but they are so earthbound.  Visual Art and poetry can help you break out of the strapping of humdrum earthly life!
 
If anybody is interested in pursuing Art as a career I would say to them to be prepared to work just as hard as selling your work as you do in creating your work.  This can be really frustrating!
 
I take spiritual figures as my role models.  From Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to the Sufi mystics like Jalal udeen Rumi and contemporary Sufi mystics like Idries Shah are sources of inspiration.  The Qur’an I would say is the most important source for me.  It has many layers of meaning.