With Aberdeen being the Granite City, there’s no denying it can look a little grey sometimes.
But one local artist making a colourful contrast to this is Mahin Hussain.
Mahin’s bold and bright style of artwork is infused with memories of her home back in Pakistan where she grew up.
Her prints, cards and coasters are currently available online and she has also held stalls at markets across the north-east in recent months.
For Mahin, expressing herself in her artwork is imperative.
“I think my work represents me 100%,” Mahin beams.
“My artwork is very heavily inspired by my childhood in Pakistan, my memories of home and the culture there.
“It’s very special to me.”
A new home
Mahin has a wealth of experience working in textile design.
She attained a degree in the field alongside running her own handbag business for a decade back in Pakistan.
But after taking a sidestep from her creative pursuits due to starting a family and moving to the UK, now she’s back doing what she loves.
“My son was less than a year old when we came to the UK five years ago and he needed me a lot – I had to leave my creative endeavours behind for a while,” Mahin explains.
“I hadn’t worked for the last four years and sometimes I could find myself stuck in a bit of a rut.
“It wasn’t until last year when lockdown eased and my son was becoming more independent that I finally found more time to do more creative work.”
Colour among the grey
Initially moving to London, Mahin and her family relocated to Aberdeen a month before lockdown in February 2020.
“It was a bit of a culture shock at first!” she laughs.
Finding herself in the unfamiliar surroundings of a new city, she made herself feel more at home through her drawings.
“With Aberdeen being pretty grey with all of the granite, creating lots of images that revolved around colour would take me back to my time in Pakistan,” says Mahin.
“Growing up, I remember my mum having lots of flowers around the house and they’re a huge visual inspiration for me.
“I realised that once I was removed from that environment back home, doing my artwork was now what felt like home to me.”
Bold style
Mahin certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to colour.
Her bright patterns and floral designs reflect her positive personality.
Her varied subjects offer an insight into Mahin’s roots and people are taking a shine to her bold work.
“A lot of my work is incredibly bright and colour, for me, is what gives me peace,” says Mahin.
“I don’t use any software tools like Photoshop – a pencil and a sketchbook were the tools I used to learn at art college and this is still what comes most naturally to me.
“The strokes of the paintbrush are visible, the imperfections are visible and for me, you get more of a sense of the artist this way.
“My most popular products have been my art prints – especially the rooster prints.
“We had them at our house where I grew up and I still vividly remember hearing them in the mornings.
“I also have greetings cards on my Etsy page as well as coasters which all feature my original designs.”
Reaching out
As well as online, Mahin’s also been making a conscious effort to display her work around the north-east.
“My presence has been slowly increasing throughout the past year,” says Mahin.
“Physical markets have been a good way for people to find out more about me and my work by getting out there and meeting people.
“Last year, I showcased some of my work at Aberdeen’s Christmas Market which was great.
“I’ve been to markets in Crathes and I have others lined up towards the end of this year.
“I also currently stock some of my work at FOLD craft and design store at The Barn in Banchory.”
Full of ideas
With her reputation growing, so too is Mahin’s motivation to explore new creative mediums.
“I’d like to pursue more story-based work in the future to talk about issues that are close to my heart like equality,” says Mahin.
“As women, there are so many things that we are capable of doing and I want to inspire others through my work.”
Mahin’s confidence as an artist, woman and mother is steadfast.
And having grown up influenced by the world of art by watching her own mother draw, Mahin’s daughter is now quickly following in the family’s footsteps.
“My daughter Alaia, she’s seven years old and always observes me doing my work,” says Mahin.
“She’s done portraits of everyone in the house and I actually quite like her style!
“She said to me not long ago, “mama, this is what I want to do. I love drawing.”
“It’s so lovely to see.”
Conversation