Samira Mian
Geometer, Artist & Educator
Get in touch for commissions
Sharing my passion for Islamic Geometric Patterns
IN PERSON
FREE
ONLINE
September 2023
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Welcome to website, hub of all things geomety , let me tell you what I do, where and how... let's go!
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Regular monthly In-person workshops in the UK
Cass Art Kingston & Cass Art Islington, OPEN Ealing. I also return to Cass Art Manchester and Cass Art Liverpool this year taking my #geometricartcards on tour. Teaching in person is something I benefit from hugely, it's the complete teaching/learning feedback loop that is the oxygen I run on. Sadly, this will be the last month I teach at Harrow Arts Centre for the time being, I do enjoy my workshops there so Im contemplating running them bi-monthly or just in a different way, all to be mulled over!
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Free & affordable ONLINE resources
You can get started here for free or access the many resources to keep you dabbling in this intriguing world of Islamic Geometric Patterns wherever you are in the world, whatever your budget:
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I regularly teach LIVE online via my creator page on Patreon , see how it works and what I've previously taught here where you can join for as little as US $4 a month - a new pattern to learn each month, 2 live Zooms + recording + step by step PDF guide. If you enroll on an annual membership you get 10% off AND I'll send you a link to one or both of my two affordable & practical recorded online courses*.
I offer many free resources & links: ​Tutorials on YouTube, with a series on Five & Tenfold Patterns and Twelvefold patterns, resources suitable for Kids & beginners, book reviews, equipment & materials recommendations and links to many free resources online from other talented geometers & artists.
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I created *two affordable & practical recorded online courses where you can view video demonstrations along with accessing step by step PDFs to enable you to draw, trace, tile, transfer and paint Islamic Geometric Patterns.
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My good friend Dr Esra Alhamal and I have taught together online, these are now available as recorded courses with PDFs: Virtual tour of Uzbekistan and our previous course Elements of Mamluk Manuscripts
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BESPOKE private, small group, school, univeristy or workplace in-person and online workshops, talks & tuition
This is the broadest ot categories and the types of events I've been delivering seem to be getting more and more diverse, from corporate & co-living to school and university settings to friendship groups and family occasions - both in person & online. Such a fun way to bring creativity into so many different worlds. So if it's something you'd like to do for adults or children please get in touch. You can see what I've done previously here. I also offer live video tuition, via Zoom as well as in person workshops for those in and around London as well as internationally. For either, we can schedule sessions and cover topics, techniques and patterns from the world of Islamic Geometric Patterns & Design and beyond - bespoke to your needs.
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All the best from,
Samira
London, England, UK
Details and Info
Which pens and colours work well on uncoated paper
Which pens and colours work well on silk coated paper
Details and Info
GIfting a workshop place to a loved one is easy. Book a place or multiple places at any of the venueof your choice. Let me know by email that it's a gift, who it's for and any personal message. I can then create a bespoke gift card PDF for you to email or print and post to your loved one. If you're not sure of dates. Pick any future date and I can arrange as needed with either you or your loved one.
Order your "Perfect for Geometry" square notebooks for delivery at a workshop or UK or International delivery
See details on www.samiramian.uk/merch
News
I was chuffed to be a voice on 'Perspectives on the Arab Hall' exploring six individual viewpoints from a diverse pool of voices with connections to the iconic space - the Arab Hall in Leighton House:
@samira.mian – geometer, artist and educator
Souad Mohamad – community group leader, Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre
@lexymorvaridi – artist, musician and curator
Dr Melanie Gibson – historian and editor of Gingko Art Series
@nagihanseymour – ceramic and tezhip artist and educator
Dr Usama Hasan – Imam
(JUN 2023)
Excited to be part of another Bayt Al Fann endeavour, taking part in an online discussion about Islamic Pattern and Sacred Geometry. Join us!
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(Jun 2023)
An early morning chat with William Crawley and poet Taher Adel
on BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme.
I was a bit bleary eyed, sleepy and still congested from my cold.. so not my most coherent interview, but still worthy of a lil listen. Was good to squeeze in what we were there to talk about the digital festival by www.baytalfann.com
Again was super cool hearing my surname, (silent N on Mian) being pronounced correctly on BBC Radio 4 on the Sunday programme... little things make a big difference!
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(NOV 2022)
Excited to be part of The Bayt Al Fann Islamic Art & Culture Digital Festival, 28 & 29 November, a virtual global gathering, with performances, online exhibitions and conversations! Join us!
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(Nov 2022)
Six Beginners' online classes with Imran Khan Cancer Appeal. Starts Saturday 1st October, 11 to 12pm (UK), continues on 8, 15 and 29 October and 5 and 12 November.
A step by step PDF and zoom recording will be provided for participants.
The classes are £10 each or £50 for all 6 classes. Please do sign up as we would love to help raise lots of funds for the great work they do at Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital in treating cancer patients in Pakistan: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/islamic-art-class-with-samira-mian-six-online-classes-tickets-228967396647
Please do share with friends and family!
(OCT 2022)
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Is there an Islamic arts revival? N.A. Mansour tries to muddle that & the definition of Islamic art in this piece.
(APR 2022)
My recollection of recording this conversation - Esra powering on through with kindness & humour whilst I was sniffly, moody and hungry… all before 9am! Luckily, this the first episode of Season 4 came out well.... good job Esra and @artilluminatedpod!
In this episode we chat about how we met, our lives in art, self taught vs self study, pricing artwork and of course lots of jokes and the compulsory mention of food!
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Listen on www.islamicillumination.com/podcast or Spotify or Apple
(FEB 2022)
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I recorded an interview with Gillian Turnham for her Beauty, Goodness, Truth podcast for her broadcast residency with the Community Radio Fund of Canada and Trent Radio in Peterborough Ontario Canada.
Her aim was to produce a 6-part radio series and podcast on Islamic Art in today's world.
In the series she speaks to
@adamwilliamsonart, @ambigraph ,
@emanhijazi , @barchilonceramics , and @samira.mian about the nature and context of Islamic art in the world today, and about the various questions pertinent to the subject today.
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FEB 2022)
A new platform for all interested in the Islamic Arts to learn, share and connect. Launched with a wesbite full of content! Including an interview with me
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(NOVEMBER 2021)
It was lovely to be Interview for Turkey's "Digital" Culture and Art Newspaper Litros Art by Ismail Kaplan:
Link to the article in Turkish & English
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(JUNE 2021)
Looking forward to attending & speaking at the annual ATM Conference, postponed from last year and now virtual. 90 sessions to join or watch later if it clashes with another Choice. It's an amazing opportunity for international colleagues to gain access to the full 3 days from just £50 ( students) or £100 (non members). See the programme and full details of plenaries, sessions & speakers via atm.org.uk/2021-Conference
or tapping/clicking the image.
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(APR 2021)
Maths & Art, a fascinating combination I discussed with Journalist Vishva Samani when she visited my studio in March. Her piece got an outing on BBC Asian Network social media on Facebook & Instagram. I was also invited on for a short discussion on the Big Debate on BBC Asian Network.
The cherry on the cake was hearing Edward Stourton pronounce my name correctly as he introduced the piece on BBC Radio 4 on the Sunday programme - listen to it below:
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(MAR 2021)
A recent interview with art 'n fann
I really enjoyed chattering away with Allayth, I think he asked me some great questions and well I do like to talk!
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(MAR 2021)
A recent short interview with www.scriptsnscribes.com
​Notice in the interview how I get slightly ratty when these patterns are some how not included in mathematics!
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(FEB 2021)
I finally made it on to Esra Al Hamal's Podcast, Art Illuminated Podcast, her second season of an art and craft dedicated show about contemporary arts and crafts inspired by traditional practice #ArtIlluminatedPod.We had such a laugh chatting away,except near the end when I was so hungry and Esra asked me hard questions!
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Listen on www.islamicillumination.com/podcast or Spotify or Apple
(SEPT 2020)
Having not written anything long form in 20 years, writing for a special edition of the Journal of the Assosciation of Teachers of Mathematics was an epic task, so I diligently dove in full concentration to write a way too long article! Read Part 1of A former mathematics teacher's insight into Islamic Geometric Patterns
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(SEPT 2020)
I was honoured to have my artwork on the cover of Chalkdust magazine,the first time and hopefully not he last time! I also contributed a step by step guide to drawing the front cover pattern: 21 simple steps to draw your own Islamic pattern!.
Emily May wrote an excellent article: to accompmay the cover art work: Islamic Geomertry Explaining the mathematics of tiling, and the cover of Issue 10
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(DECEMBER 2019)
Early on in Artist/Educator endeavours, I had a visit to OPEN Ealing from Buzzfeed. Looking back I realise it was pretty cool to have a reporter and photographer visit me! I especially loved having professional photos sorted so early on! Thanks to Laura Gallant. Here's what Aisha Gani wrote: People Are Obsessed With Islamic Art And The Patterns Are Flawless
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(SEPT 2016)