Hoda Al-Rayes: My works reflect positivity and speak to the audience

Saad Abdul Radi (Abu Dhabi)

Laughing faces and amazing expressions appear on the faces of the works of Emirati artist Hoda Al Rais Ahli, who is participating in the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair for the first time, where she caught the attention of the public with the precision in details and spontaneity in expression that these works contain, sculpted in a professional manner.
Hoda Al Rayes is an Emirati artist and sculptor. She holds a master’s degree from the British Harriot Watt University in project management. She began practicing her hobby of sculpting after retiring from work. Hoda says: “After retirement, I found that I still had the opportunity and the ability to achieve my dreams that I had not been able to achieve.” I was unable to achieve it due to being busy with work and family, so the priority was to start working with clay, which I had loved since childhood. I started working on the project 7 years ago, and opened my own workshop at home, and I began giving courses to women, men, adults, and children, each according to his request.”
Unconventional paintings
Hoda Al-Rayes describes her work by saying: “My works are unconventional and unusual, and they are all shapes that make the viewer relax or smile. My works seem as if they are talking to whoever is watching them, as they contain dialogues that force the viewer to stop and watch the work. I take positive shapes and happy faces… laughter. The child, the smile of the old man, the woman, or the young man… I look for them in real pictures of people and try to embody them on a clay sculpture.”
Regarding her relationship with clay, she explains: “I loved clay since I was a little girl, then I started working on developing my talent, and I loved to delve into this art, so I went to Italy, and met the artist Simona, a famous Italian artist in the art of (raku), and I learned from her during… A two-week intensive course in the arts of (raku), which is baked clay, and is one of the oldest arts used in China and Egypt.”
The art of decoupage
Sculptor Hoda Al Rayes adds: “I also learned the art of decoupage and introduced it to clay sculpting. I also learned electricity and introduced it to this art. I will continue learning in this field to become the first Emirati artist expert in the field of clay sculpting.”