LAILA NEMER

P O R T F O LI O
 01: Biography
Contents
2
02: Painting 3
03: Printmaking 15
04: Body Art 21
05: Graphite 27
06: Ink 33
07: Other 39

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01:
BIOGRAPHY
Born on September 23rd, 1994, Laila Nemer is an Emirati, originally Palestinian visual artist. Her artistic journey began when was
inspired and encouraged by her family to create a career out of her hobby. She started drawing various areas in her house then it
turned to an entire Summer of research on art and design. She later earned her Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts from Zayed Uni-
versity in 2015.
Laila has exhibited her work 3 times since she was in university. First time in 2014, she sent a printmaking piece to Bulgaria. Later
she exhibited her senior project in her home town, Abu Dhabi. Then exhibited in Sharjah Art Museum in 2016.
Her art varies in styles, mediums and scales. The work is somewhere between pop art and street art. Laila’s work is different as it
could be on the street or it could be exhibited in a prestigious gallery or museum.
She is curretly applying to earn her masters degree in Fine Arts with the plan to start her studies in the Fall of 2018.

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 02:
PAINTING

Disambiguation
I could be anyone but myself. However, I am stuck and blessed with what
I have. Kill the idea of judging by appearance. We all live different lives, so,
allow me to live my own.

MEDIUMS
Spray paint on wood

YEAR
2015

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 Pain/t
Visual diary about living with anxiety and depression. Ups and downs. Good
days where I almost forget what worrying is and terrible days where I could
not stand the thought of being around anybody, even myself.
Two months of my mental illness controling my life, productivity and art.

MEDIUMS
Spray paint on wood

YEAR
2016

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BLOODY ONE
Collaboration with artist and best friend MEDIUMS
Maryam AlZaabi. A collaboration of common Spray paint on paper
interests in music, colors, and shapes. Most
exciting and fun experience as we took out time YEAR
discussing out interests for what felt like the 2017
100th time.

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Color Study
Color study with oil paint. Focusing on showing MEDIUMS
depth with the colors used and creating a visual Oil paint of canvas
story.
YEAR
2017
 Lips
Body anatomy study which focuses on creating a 3 dimentional piece by bring-
ing out the shadows of the mouth and creating highlights that would bring the
lips to life. My decision was initially made to show myself that I could draw or
paint a nice lip after years of drawing a heart-like shape as a mouth for a wom-
an with a pair of dots for eyes.

MEDIUMS
Acrylic paint on canvas

YEAR
2017

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 Stranger
Social media played a big part in my artistic development as I got inspired by
artists who share their work and people who share their photographs. This
model posted a few images of her latest photoshoot and I immedietly mes-
saged her for permission to paint this specific photo as I found myself admiring
the composition and contrast in it.

MEDIUMS
Acrylic paint on canvas

YEAR
2017

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 03:
PRINTMAKING

Stairway to Recovery
Music played a huge part in my life and recovery from personal struggles. This
piece was created as a tribute to one of the songs that helped me discover
that I was on the road to recovery and I am thankful that music saved my life
multiple times.

MEDIUMS
Ink on printmaking paper

YEAR
2015

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 Morning, Noon & Night
Tribute to my aunt who lost her battle to cancer in 2010. Collaboration with
my mother who still refuses to admit that she is a wonderful writer. My mother
kidnly agreed to write a letter that she would have dedicated to her sister if
she was still around us. My favorite photograph of my aunt that is always on
the same wall of our house was used for this piece. As well as the title of her
favorite book as a title for this piece.

MEDIUMS
Ink on printmaking paper

YEAR
2016

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 04:
BODY ART

''I could do this all day.''

As a 23 year old, I am not quite sure if I have to be embarassed to admit that
my favorite superhero is Captain America. Falling in love with the visuals and
effects created in each movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe inspired
me to create this piece which quite frankly, shows the child in me.

MEDIUMS
Make-up cosmetics on model

YEAR
2017

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 Go Green
Experiment with nature, light and shade. This piece was purely a request from
the model who is also one of my closest friends. Her favorite color was used
which is the usual color of nature that she also adores. This piece was created
for her as a thank you for inspiring me to be the artist and person that I am
now. Her art itself is flawless in my eyes and it was what engouraged me to get
out of my artistic comfort zone.

MEDIUMS
Make-up cosmetics on model

YEAR
2016

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Animal instinct
My last name, Nemer, which translates to “tiger” in
English has always been the coolest thing for me as a
kid. Naturally, I created this piece to show off my last
name. The giraffe is a connection to my stubborn self as
a kid when my family and I were in the London Zoo and I
insisted on seeing the giraffes. The minute we walked in,
my family and I were all out of there in less than a minute
because the smell was unbelievable.

MEDIUMS
Make-up cosmetics on model

YEAR
2017
 05:
GRAPHITE

Sketchbook
Few pieces taken from my sketchbook including portraits, objects and few
other sketches.

MEDIUMS
Graphite on paper

YEAR
2016-2017

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 06:
INK

Sketchbook
Few pieces taken from my sketchbook including portraits, objects and few
other sketches.

MEDIUMS
Ink on paper

YEAR
2016-2017

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 07:
OTHER

Anonymous
A class assignment given to create a small mask out of clay. I chose the anon-
ymous mask because it is banned in the United Arab Emirates. I could not
help but feel like a rebel. However, I also chose it because the movie “V for
Vandetta” is one of my favorite movies. I was unsure and very uncomfortable
showing it to my professor thinking she would dismiss it but luckily, as she
passed my table she said: “Remember, remember, the 5th of November.”

MEDIUMS
Acrylic paint on clay

YEAR
2014

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Dallah & Dates
A class assignment given to create a visual story MEDIUMS
for Emirati children’s stories that are still popular Ink on digital textures.
after being passed around for generations.
YEAR
2016
 Ehki Arabi “Speak arabic”
Typography assignment that was about creating a collage with photography
and typography. Images of objects, people and different places were used with
Arabic typography.

MEDIUMS
Ink on photography

YEAR
2016

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 Still life
Still life study which includes an apple and a Dallah. Dallah is an Emirati word
for the pot that holds Arabic coffee.

MEDIUMS
Charcoal on paper

YEAR
2015

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 Jewelery
Handmade jewelery with designs from natural
elements. First time making jewelery which
made me appretiate the thought and process
given to any other piece I see today.

MEDIUMS
Silver coated jewelery

YEAR
2015

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 LAILA NEMER
w w w. a r t by l a i l a .c o m