Baha Omary Kikhia (Photo by Monica Escamilla)
Painter, illustrator and ceramist Baha Omary Kikhia discovered Richmond when her son was attending the VCU School of Medicine. Drawn by the natural beauty of the region and historic city neighborhoods, she relocated to Richmond from Northern Virginia three years ago for what she calls a “more peaceful and affordable atmosphere.”
Educated at the University of Damascus and the University of Baghdad, the Syrian-born artist arrived in the United States in the early 1970s at age 25 and found her art tribe — a group of artists from Italy, Lebanon, Palestine, America and Syria — in New York City. She was, and is, proud of her culture and being a woman. “Women are the center of the world,” Kikhia says.
She says that many people, upon hearing her accent, assume that she is from the Middle East, and assume that, as a Muslim, her faith means that she would never paint nudes. However, Kikhia paints curvy women both clothed and nude and is grateful for America, where she was able to create an art career, make a home and become a citizen.
Upon her arrival in New York, Kikhia sold small oil paintings at the corner of Eighth Street and Greenwich Avenue in the West Village. She remembers a buyer asking the price of a painting, to which she responded, “How much will you pay?” The buyer’s reply was Kikhia’s first lesson in valuing her art and culture. “That buyer told me my use of color was different because I used so many of them, to never lose my accent because I add spice to New York and to never undervalue my art,” she recalls.
“Waiting for You,” oil on canvas, 32 by 39 1/2 inches (Image courtesy Baha Omary Kikhia)
A prolific artist, Kikhia loves the process of creating: She produces several pieces a day, layering colors and curved lines in vibrant, multihued oil paintings, ceramics and illustrations. Recurring themes in her work include women and the ancient city of Jerusalem. Her newest series is inspired by the devastating ammonium nitrate explosion at Beirut’s port over the summer.
Her daughter, Jihan Kikhia, is a documentary filmmaker. When talking about her mother's art, she says, "You're not just buying a painting, but my mom's spirit is coming into your home."
Kikhai accepts studio visits by appointment through email at info@artbybaha.com.
