An Intuitive Artist

Self-taught creative Mariam Dashti produces art that flows straight from the heart – bold, passiona te and fluid. Apple Sharma caught up with her to talk about her ‘deep inner need to create’, her love of colour and the chaos behind it all.

fact: How did your artistic journey begin? Did you find art or did art find you?
MD: I’d say art found me. Ever since I was a child, I dreamt of becoming an artist but back then the art scene in Bahrain was not as developed as it is today, so pursuing that felt like a distant path. Life took me in other directions for a while, but that creative pull never left me. One night, I had a vivid dream of myself painting on a wall. When I woke up, something shifted – I knew I had to pick up the brush again and I haven’t stopped painting since. I believe we all have something within us that’s meant to surface. For me, it was art.

fact: You call yourself an intuitive artist. What drives this intuition and what’s your thought process before you start working on a piece?
MD: When I begin a painting, I have no idea what the end result will be – there’s no fixed plan, sketch or reference image I’m trying to recreate. Instead, I let my intuition guide me. I start with loose black lines, letting my hand move freely across the canvas in spontaneous and directionless ways. I just allow what’s inside me to surface naturally rather than forcing a vision to fit the canvas. Then I step back and observe what’s there, almost like reading between the lines. Shapes and figures start to emerge from my imagination and, slowly, a story begins to unfold.

fact: Your work features mainly abstract in bold colours. How do you choose your palettes and shapes?
MD: I’ve always loved colours – they bring me joy! For each of my paintings, I pre-mix my colours from scratch, which adds to the uniqueness of the work. It’s nearly impossible to replicate the exact same shade twice, and I love that. I don’t follow a set recipe; I mix intuitively, trusting what feels right in the moment. Sometimes, just by looking at a colour, I can see the combination that created it. I often play with contrast to push the intensity even further. Of course, I sometimes end up with murky colours – but often, I discover beautiful, one-of-a-kind hues. As for the shapes, they reveal themselves organically from the loose black lines I start with and then I refine them into figures or symbols that tell a story.

fact: Who is your biggest inspiration and what fuels your creativity?
MD: I’d say life itself inspires me, and my emotions fuel my creativity. Art is a form of self-expression; it’s a way to release and process feelings without needing to put them into words. We all experience a range of emotions, such as love, fear, joy, sadness and grief, and that can absolutely show up in painting. Each piece begins from a different emotional and mental state and unfolds in its own unique way. Some paintings flow effortlessly, while others are filled with layers, changes and lessons – just like life itself. But that’s what makes it meaningful. It becomes a process of discovery – not just of the artwork, but of myself too.

fact: What emotions do you hope to evoke in your viewers, and how do you decide when a canvas is finished?
MD: I want my work to stir emotions rather than dictate them. Some may feel joy, others nostalgia or even vulnerability, and I welcome that range. For me, a painting should be a journey of communication between the artist and the viewer. When a piece of art stirs emotion, provokes thought or sparks the imagination – that’s when I consider it successful.
As for knowing when a canvas is finished… there’s a saying, ‘A finished painting is never finished’, and that is true. It can be hard to let go because I’m very detail oriented and there’s always something more I could add, but there’s a thin line between enriching a painting and taking away from it. When I find that balance is when I decide the painting is complete.

fact: What’s the vision for your artistic future?
MD: It’s to continue creating work that is bold, meaningful and true to who I am. Behind the colours and brushstrokes, I’m simply someone searching for meaning, purpose, honesty and freedom of expression. My next step in my art journey is to hold my first solo exhibition and, eventually, open my own gallery – a space alive with colours and imagination, where my work can exist alongside other artists who share the same spirit. Ultimately, I hope to share my art globally and connect with people worldwide through the language of art.

fact: Tell us something that most people don’t know about you.
MD: I’m meticulous with my work but I’m a very messy painter. After a painting session my studio is just chaos – paint tubes, colour and tools everywhere. I always end up covered in paint too – sometimes I have paint on my face, even in my hair! I go into complete hyper-focus, so I lose track of time and everything around me, and the mess just happens.

fact: If there’s one artist you could work with (local or international), who would it be and why?
MD: Jean-Michel Basquiat. I love how raw his work is – it feels alive and fearless. He’s an inspiration not only because of his incredible work but also because of his artistic voice. He painted straight from the gut, without overthinking; expressing something real and unfiltered – and that kind of authenticity really speaks to me. Like his, my art comes from instinct and raw expression. ✤