Art is a reflection of life — its beauty, its wounds, its memory.

Mona’s Early Journey

Discover the formative years that shaped Mona's unique perspective and ignited her passion for art.

A World at Home
Born in Alexandria, Egypt and raised in East Lansing, Michigan, Mona grew up in a household filled with people from around the world.

Art came to her as a natural second language – one many of her teachers recognized early and encouraged from the start.
Mastering the Craft
Her formal studies were at Michigan State University, where she obtained her BFA in Painting and Drawing, followed by a year studying art in London in 1984.

Later, she pursued post-graduate studies in Art Education, and then obtained a Masters Certificate in Museum Studies at Georgetown University.

Mona’s Creative Legacy

A glimpse into the work and vision that define her artistic journey.

A Lifelong Commitment
Her work has been exhibited from Washington, D.C. to Cairo, Paris, and South Africa, moving fluidly between Ancient Egyptian figures, Arab landscapes, still lifes, and unflinching political commentary.
A Mother's Lens
Raising five children gave Mona a perspective no studio could teach. Watching the world through a child’s sense of wonder sharpened her own — reminding her that art lives in small, fleeting moments, not above them.
Art as Activism
Mona’s later work turns the brush into an act of resistance. Exhibited around the world, it takes on injustice in D.C., imperialism across the Arab world, and the struggle for Palestinian liberation.

Mona’s Art Collection

View exclusive works and experience their inspiration through audio stories.View exclusive works and experience their inspiration through audio stories.

Landscape
Sunset Mosque
Sunset Mosque was born from a memory of Cairo in the 1980s, when my father was on sabbatical and I was a young student at AUC studying Arabic and Egyptian history. I used watercolor and pen to try to capture not just the scene but the feeling of that time: the adhan echoing through the streets, the scent of the city, the joy of being there.

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Abstract
Lifting the Sun Vertically
Lifting the Sun Vertically shows people who have died in war, now underground, lifting the sun upward with their feet. It is a metaphor about being beneath the weight of grief and loss and still trying to push the light up. Even from below, the effort continues.

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Experience Mona’s Art Up Close

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more meanings in artist's

World

May 10 – May 30, 2014
Exhibits
Threads of Memory
A collection that weaves together past and present, reflecting on stories that remain unforgotten through time.
September 15 – October 20, 2016
Exhibits
Voices in Color
An exploration of vibrant expressions where every shade becomes a voice of culture in the dialogue.
June 1 – June 25, 2019
Exhibits
Echoes of Heritage
Artwork that resonates with tradition, carrying the echo of ancestry into modern creative works.
October 10 – November 5, 2021
Exhibits
Colors of Belonging
A study where identity and connection are expressed, and every hue embodies a sense of belonging.
April 12 – May 8, 2023
Exhibits
Journey Through Light
A visual path illuminated by creative discovery, guiding viewers toward moments of light and inspiration.