“Geometry is mighty; joined with art, resistless,” said Euripides, one of the influential classical Greek dramatists. For centuries, Islamic geometric patterns have been used to adorn and decorate domes, minarets, ceramics, woodwork, metalwork, and among others. Craftsmen using simple tools such as the compass and ruler have created exquisite patterns that are based on squares and circles that are repeated and interlaced to form complex patterns.
Samira Mian is an artist and educator of Islamic Geometric Art based in the U.K. She has successfully combined over 12 years of experience as a teacher of mathematics with Islamic Geometry to create patterns, promoting this art both in the U.K and internationally. Mian’s interest in Islamic Geometry was sparked in 2013 while taking a class with the immensely popular Art of Islamic Pattern. And ever since then she has been inspiring and teaching students in the U.K and online. In the U.K., she regularly leads classes in the Cass Art Spaces in Islington, Kingston, and Manchester, as well as Harrow Arts Centre and SOAS University. Her highly popular online and YouTube tutorials are attended by students in over 90 countries, including North America and the Middle East.
Recently I reached out to Mian for an interview and this what she shared with us.
What inspired you to study Islamic geometric art?
The honest answer is - I really don’t remember, I know I was after a creative hobby as my pottery class was canceled and I was missing a creative outlet. But I often wonder what lead me to find and enroll in a class with the Art of Islamic Pattern. Very glad I did though.
You have a background in mathematics, in what way, if any, did it help in the learning process of this art?
So, this art is Geometry and Geometry IS mathematics! I get irritated by how narrowly people define mathematics, often reducing it to algebra and mental arithmetic. I’d say a lot of my behaviors and successes in work and creativity come from a mathematical mindset: problem-solving, observing situations, processes, and data, a logical and systematic approach, and clear efficient communication are all math skills for me.
Our traditional learning settings (i.e in-person classes) have been currently replaced by virtual classes- how has your work and teaching style evolved as a result of it?
My in-person classes disappeared into thin air, but I already had online teaching content and resources – that all exploded. Teaching online can be a pre-recorded or a live experience for me. I felt more open to online learning. So along with Esra Alhamal of www.islamicillumination.com, I am teaching an online course through December 2021. It has some amazing pros, especially being able to connect with people across the globe. But I do genuinely miss in-person classes. You get to know the whole person, how they learn, where they struggle, and where they excel, their personality, how they draw and paint. The small tips and interventions you can make in a class to help them along is a complete experience - so rich and enjoyable. However, pre -Covid, there were always people across the globe who wanted to learn and couldn’t travel to my workshops. So teaching online continues to be the next best thing and I value how powerful it is.
What is the most important thing(s) you learned from your teachers?
Good teachers seem to give you all manner of skills and experience whilst you’re in a class, but a lot of the time it feels their teaching is unlimited, unmeasurable, and indescribable. I’ve had so many moments where something a teacher has said or something they have demonstrated comes to my mind or process years and months later.
Your advice for students who are currently pursuing Islamic geometric art.
To value and enjoy the process, relish every line, circle, and intersection you draw, trace, outline, embellish or paint. By doing so you are consciously and deliberately enriching the minutes and hours of your day with beauty and creativity.
For more information about Samira Mian’s work, please visit her website; https://www.samiramian.uk Instagram @samira.mian
All images courtesy of https://www.samiramian.uk