Born in 1951 in Amman, Nawal Abdullah graduated from the Florence Academy of Art in Italy (1979). Since 1974, she has been exhibiting her works in solo and group shows in Amman and has participated in collective exhibitions in the Arab world, as well as in Europe, the U.K. and Canada. Abdullah's abstracted landscapes and figures engage the viewer through harmonious, flowing brushstrokes and vibrant colour, and reflect a constant journey of self-discovery. She is a member of the International Women's Forum (IWF), Jordan Chapter, and an active member of the International Forum for a Culture of Peace by Mediterranean Women Creators. She lives and works in Amman.

"I paint in abstract to free my spirit. . . . It is my quest for a higher dimension of consciousness. The unfamiliar, yet sometimes very familiar visions that come up unconsciously through my colours and splashes of paint are somehow prophetic of my life. The human spirit is either nourished or crushed by what happens around us in the world, whether in politics, religion, science or in everyday happenings and encounters. I am always searching to find an art form that expresses my personal vision of the spiritual. I would like my paintings to speak to the soul."

Nawal Abdullah