“A Day in the Life” with: Montréal Visual Artist Meryem Aouli

Meryem Aouli is a Canadian painter of Moroccan origin. She currently lives in Montréal. Graduated from Mohamed V University of Rabat (Morocco) and the University of Quebec in Montreal, she has worked as a teacher at the Center des Services Scolaires de Montréal since 2006.

In 2017, she decided to follow training in the composition program from figuration to abstraction at the Academy of Fine Arts of Montreal (ACADEM) with professor and painter Christine Viens. Meryem has been interested in drawing and painting since childhood. She was first fascinated by the colour of the henna tattoos on the body that were done during cultural festivals. This fragrant and colouring plant opened his eyes to artistic creativity.

In her twenties, Meryem discovered her passion for sculpture. She kneads wet clay to make bodies. She also worked with wood collected in a park or in a forest, dead wood (trunks, roots) which she brought back to life by transforming them into a lamp base.

In painting she finds her true fulfilment, she brings colours and textures to her work using acrylic paint. From figuration to abstraction, her work covers different themes linked to nature and the universe.

Meryem Aouli
Exhibition at the Center Diane Dufresne Repentigny, May 2024
Meryem Aouli
Exhibition at the Municipal Library of Saint- Hippolyte, June 2024
Exhibition at Galerie Ambigu Montreal, November 2022
Meryem Aouli
Exhibition at Point Rouge, art boutique, Béloeil, May 2023
Meryem Aouli
Up, 48”-24’’, acrylic on canvas, 2024

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Which neighbourhood are you in?

I live in Montreal East, Pointes aux Trembles. Between the Rivière des Prairies and the St. Lawrence River, it is the ideal place to come into contact with nature that inspires me. My walks by the water or in parks allow me to observe the beauty of plants and animals
living in harmony.

What are you currently working on?

I am a science and mathematics teacher in a secondary school. In my moments of relaxation, I return to my studio to rest and create unique works. At the moment, I am interested in the theme of emotions. I do not seek to reproduce observed reality, but rather to shape a metaphysical energy that emerges from it. My works represent a questioning of the meaning of life and the universe but also of our hopes and our own search for identity, with the constant desire to find the “light” or a path that leads to it.

My inspirations will come from visual, acoustic sensations and emotions linked to a life experience, to give a colorful expression of my inner world.

Where can we find your work?

You can find my work on my website, Facebook and Instagram.

 

About Cyra Darya 2 Articles
Cyra Darya Khan is based in Hamilton, Ontario with an educational background in Urban Planning and Policy Analysis. When she is not busy with work, she enjoys writing, organizing art events including musical events, and curating art works.