North Tampa is full of talented artists who can showcase their work at the Carrollwood Cultural Center or the Life Enrichment Center in Forest Hills.
One of those artists is Magda Barsoum-Homsy of the North Tampa Arts League, who has participated in shows at the cultural center. Barsoum-Homsy recently talked to Patch about how she became interested in art, and how the community can see her work
Patch: How did you get started as an artist?
Barsoum-Homsy: I am a pediatric ophthalmologist and an artist. I wear two hats and am passionate about both, and can't envision life without one or the other.
I have always loved art. In school I remember drawing my teachers as they spoke, or carving faces in small pieces of chalk that teachers used to write with on the blackboard.
Patch: Who or what influences you?
Barsoum-Homsy: I am inspired by the beauty of nature and the resilience of man. I embrace all cultures, and am deeply affected by what I see through my travels around the world. What I see is registered in my mind and soul, and then interpreted by my subconscious. It takes shape in warm vibrant colors that reflect my nostalgic memories of flaming sunsets on the Mediterranean shores where I grew up.
In my art, I try to convey some sense of peace, both for myself as well as for the viewer; an escape from the chaos that surrounds us.
I use watercolor, acrylics and collage in my paintings, but encaustic, which is pigmented wax, is my favorite. It connects me to my Egyptian heritage. It provides a link between the past and the present and most of all, allows me to express myself in those luminous and vibrant colors that are so much part of me and my art and so unique to encaustic
Patch: What are misconceptions that people have about artists?
Barsoum-Homsy: Misconceptions about artists are numerous. Artists don’t have to wear weird clothes or behave oddly. We are all artists in our own way. Pablo Picasso once said, "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up."
Patch: How can people view your work?
Barsoum-Homsy: I have participated in numerous local, national and international juried art shows and have won several awards. My art can be seen on my website, www.magdaart.com, and some of my paintings are at L’Attitude Gallery, 211 Newbury Street, Boston, Mass.