Ahmad Shariff

In 2011, Ahmad returned home to the US after nearly three years serving in the Department of Defense in Iraq, with a major back injury. After enduring multiple surgeries, Ahmad has rekindled his love and passion for the arts through his paintings. His international travels and upbringing in Beirut...

In 2011, Ahmad returned home to the US after nearly three years serving in the Department of Defense in Iraq, with a major back injury. After enduring multiple surgeries, Ahmad has rekindled his love and passion for the arts through his paintings. His international travels and upbringing in Beirut, Lebanon during its’ own bloody civil war has exposed Ahmad to unimaginable suffering, devastation and loss. Yet through all these experiences, Ahmad maintains an unbridled sense of hope and optimism for better days, largely evident in the expression of his work. Ahmad’s paintings reflect the human condition of a full range of emotion captured by acrylics and India ink, Oil as well as watercolors on variety of mediums ranging from canvases, wood panels, watercolor paper and vintage book pages. The influence of his days at the prestigious Institute of Art in Lebanon where he studied Art and Interior Architecture remains strong and unmistakable. Having spent over twenty years as a Graphics Artist in Los Angeles, California, Ahmad’s talent and distinctiveness transcends barriers and movement while inspiring thought, provocation and appreciation.


It's a privilege to be able to live one'a passion and a distinct honor to share with others and transform my thoughts to visual imagery and reality. I'm incredibly blessed to be surrounded by such love and support. It keeps me going and fulfilled. As an artist, I can only aspire to translate such touchpoints to canvas and ignite my audience and patrons to escape, journey and fantasy. To dream a better world, for an artist and capture such a place, is the ultimate experience; a place of hope.

A timeless medium free of inhibitions which transcends cultural boundaries and differences, but instead heightens commonalities - to paint is to captivate and unite.


- What was your first experience with/discovery of art? What made you want to become an artist?