Joelle Gargour

Joelle Gargour is a self-taught visual artist who discovered her means of expression through painting as an escape from academic and emotional stress during her university years as a business school student. This artistic revelation has enabled her to make life-changing decisions that have helped her better understand her true value system and convictions. Her discovery of art has opened the door to new life experiences that have led her to who she is today. These experiences have taught her to be calm but resilient in the face of challenges, to never be ashamed of failure or vulnerabilities, to embrace your own personal story and baggage, and to understand that the ability to love and forgive yourself is one of your greatest strengths in life. Following a two-year process of exploring these sentiments in her art, Joelle has created the new series A Fleur de Femme. The works are depiction of feminine resilience. These feminine portraits are painted with poignant looks and hardship, but also with inner strength and the desire to build a better future. The larger than life turbans represent the battles braved by these women and are proudly worn as crowns. The work states that the woman should be proud of their own journey, no matter the difficulties encountered, and should continue to be their own hero. The work titled Nawal is a portrait based on arabic writer Nawal El Saadawi. .