This Jordanian artist channels his childhood love for drawing into finely detailed pet and wildlife portraits that capture hearts, says Sara Mumtaz
HANNA ASFOUR, AN ARCHITECT BY DAY and artist by night has found the key ingredients of pursuing passion with a purpose. Although he doesn’t belong to a creative family, Hanna has loved art ever since he was a child. “It’s something I’ve pursued on my own, driven by my own passion and curiosity,” he shares. His family has always been supportive of his interests though; with their encouragement proving to be invaluable in his creative journey.
Hanna remembers his early days of creative exploration fondly. Creating drawings of family members, friends and captivating scenes from his surroundings ignited a sense of wonder within him. The first time he held a pencil remains a vivid memory, filled with excitement and anticipation. While graphite pencils were his initial tools of choice, Hanna’s artistic journey soon led him to explore a myriad of mediums.
Years of dedicated exploration and honing his craft have seen Hanna emerge as a specialist in pet and wildlife portraiture. His work is characterised by finely detailed renderings that skilfully capture the essence and beauty of our animal companions. Each stroke of the 30-year-old artist’s brush or pencil is infused with an appreciation for the natural world, resulting in portraits that resonate deeply with viewers.
hannaasfour.com
My art serves as a gateway to another world – allowing me to escape into the realms of imagination and creativity.
I began my artistic journey by focusing on human portraits, capturing the intricacies of the human form that fascinated me. It was a great way to develop my skills in detail and expression. However, over time I found myself increasingly drawn to the challenge of depicting still life. Exploring the form, light and shadow in objects brought a new dimension to my art and allowed me to expand my creativity in different ways. It’s been an exciting evolution and it’s enriched my artistic perspective immensely. Being a self-taught artist and studying architecture, helped me in discovering new gateways to creativity. It was a fascinating blend of art, design and technical skills. I learned how to create spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and sustainable. It was a challenging yet rewarding experience that has greatly influenced my approach to creativity.
