Doha
Unlike many businesses that are hit hard due to the lockdown amid coronavirus (COVID-19), artists and artisans continue to thrive in Qatar even during the pandemic with their creativity. The creative journey of family medicine practitioner and noted Qatari pottery artisan Dr Mariyam al Dosary bears testimony to this.
According to Dosary, her interaction with different people ignited her imagination and she was able to create many innovative pieces based on their emotions and experiences during the pandemic.
Dosary said that her pieces created during the lockdown period sold like hot cakes through online platform.
While sharing her personal experiences of the otherwise stressful days of COVID-19 with Qatar Tribune, Dr Dosary remarked, “Actually, during the pandemic, the entire communication was through digital media and I had an opportunity to interact with different people with unusual and unique ideas. As the conversation progressed, I received huge number of orders for COVID-19 based artworks. What I tried to do is to reflect people’s emotions and feelings through my works. I used various shades and calligraphy that are generally done on terracotta, ceramic or glass vases.”
Dosary, the proprietor of the first pottery shop in Qatar 'Anteeka' in Al Wakra, told Qatar Tribune: “Pottery is integral to Arab culture and tradition, which has survived the passage of time and the race for modernism. My initiative is an attempt to recapture that tradition in order to arouse the younger generation's interest in the art of pottery making.”
The sizes of the pottery at her store at Souq Al Wakra range between 10cm and 2,000cm, and costs between QR50 and QR2,500.
It is noteworthy that Dosary exhibited her unique pottery works at the last edition of Halal Qatar Festival at the Cultural Village Foundation ‘Katara’ attracting large number of people.
She also trains young students in the art of pottery and offers special training course for the differently-abled children.
She plans to introduce some highly innovative pieces on the occasion of Qatar National Day 2020. “I will surprise the customers with unique works prior to National Day”, Dr Dosary said.
Mariyam believes that pottery is an important part of every country's cultural heritage and history, and Qatar is no exception.
