The direction I wanted to explore has always been clear, I love using my work to capture fleeting moments. The most precious are the memories that hold my girlhood, especially as I transition out of it. I first considered just “Girlhood,” but how could I represent all women’s experiences when I can only draw from my own? I tried specifying — American girlhood, Arabic girlhood — but those still didn’t capture the whole picture. I’m not just American or Arabic. Eventually, I landed on Archive of My Girlhood. It allowed me to share my moments in a way that many women can relate to, while also inviting those with different experiences into something new. I aim to bring women together by celebrating my girlhood — because that’s all I can authentically offer. My works include familiar media like painting, collages, and photography, as well as new ones like digital and ceramics.

I have three self-portraits: In Full Color, The Series of Adolescence, and A Collective. The Two Self-Portrait pieces are the same portrait in acrylic and watercolor. They were the first pieces of this two-year journey. Their stereotypically “girly” style was outside my comfort zone, pushing me to explore my memories through a new lens and embrace girlhood. The watercolor version symbolises how different processes can lead to the same result, much like life. In The Series of Adolescence, I used linocut with pink, blue, and purple to represent three life stages and how they shape who I am. In A Collective, I compiled personal photos, artwork, and memories, centering them on my dresser, my most sacred space. Framed within a mirror, it invites viewers to see through my eyes, reinforcing that the painting isn’t just about me, but about the process of seeing and being seen through girlhood. It’s the perfect conclusion, reflecting my current self, skill, and story.

The next two pieces, The Tea Party and The Animals, complement each other. The Tea Party is a life-sized piece from a miniature tea set, representing the girl I became as I grew up. Each set corresponds to a line from a poem I wrote: For the girl I was, the girl I am, and the girl I am going to be. The patterns reflect the events each line describes. I displayed the set as I would have as a child, with the new pieces and with my stuffed animals. In The Animals, I explored the comfort and companionship of stuffed animals, something that I and many girls share. I’ve collected them my whole life, and this piece celebrates that quiet, shared experience, tying in the doodles and whimsy from other works, patterns coming from the teapot.

The Jar of Shooting Stars and You are Cordially Invited… capture specific moments. The Jar of Shooting Stars recalls nights I stayed up folding paper stars while watching real ones from my bed. If I saw a shooting star while folding, it felt like I’d caught a wish. I kept those stars in a jar, sealed with wax and ribbon, capturing a year of my innocent girlhood. The glittered pieces outside of the jar represent the dreams that came true. You are Cordially Invited… showcases nine events from my past and future, creating a summary of my girlhood's greatest events. I wanted it to seem like the audience is part of the events, the same way when you stroll down the greeting card aisles of the convenience store, like the events are on public display, they are a part of everyday life. Three copies of each invitation and envelope, as if you can buy the invitations, to add more to the everyday effect of the piece. The Photo Album is the most literal expression of my theme — a personal archive of my girlhood. I grew up looking at albums of others’ lives, parents, grandparents, weddings, and I wanted one of my own. I wanted one that had my life, my whole life in it. Decorated exactly as I would have imagined when I was 10. Free for people to page through the records of my life.

I want to highlight my female audience. I want girls, young and old, to connect to all of my pieces and resonate with each memory and intention behind every single work. From relating to planning future events and drawing invitations for their weddings, to playing with tea sets and their stuffed toys. I wanted to include the self-portraits so that they see the world through my eyes, even if they don't share my exact experiences, they can relate to the universal feelings of girlhood.