Shima Amia has always been interested in coins. They fascinated her up to the level of thinking about them and exploring the cultural background of a country. She had a chance visit to the coins section of the National Museum in Muscat. She tried to click some pictures, but due to light and other settings, the pictures were not clear. Here came the idea of doing a ceramic project by showing the coin details in a bigger way
The tiny coins may not hold importance for many, but those who have an interest in a country’s history and culture, these coins are of immense value. “It tells you the country’s mood, flora, fauna, and most importantly the existence of wildlife in the country.”
Coins have always been very interesting for ceramist Shima Amia. They fascinated her up to the level of thinking about them and exploring the cultural background of a country.
She had a chance visit to the coins section of the National Museum in Muscat. She tried to click some pictures, but due to light and other settings, the pictures were not clear. Here came the idea of doing a ceramic project by showing the coin details in a bigger way so that those who have interest in coins can have more details about them.
Soon after, Shima visited Currency Museum at Central Bank of Oman and started doing a project in 2018 on all the coins available in the museum.
She came out with a nice work after the completion of the project and has displayed her selected works at Art & Soul gallery. The exhibition that started on March 21 will continue till March 31. She calls it an opportunity for the visitors to see the original coins at the CBO’s Currency Museum and the extended version of them at the ongoing exhibition at Art & Soul, and post-exhibition, at her own art studio in Muscat.
Born in 1984, Shima grew up in Tehran, Iran. She got her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Sooreh University in Tehran. She is a full-time ceramist and a successful art teacher. She has been living in Muscat since 2013. She has conducted workshops in different Omani and international schools as well as at Sultan Qaboos University.
In 2016 she decided to develop her career further by establishing her own art studio in Muscat where she has also been teaching art lovers of all ages.
She is passionate about ceramic art and pottery as she finds them very close to nature.
She loves to express through clay, a tiny part of the Earth, which is one of the four natural elements. “Clay, as known in pottery, is the basic material, and therefore should be glorified,” she says and adds she is fascinated by her artist job since it integrates earth, hands, and emotions.
Through her creative artwork, Shima loves to communicate and expresses by pouring her soul into clay, kneading and shaping it until her dream comes true.
Kaushalendra Singh
@patkaushal
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