About
Working as a traditional artist with watercolor and ink, Zahra creates work that reflects her cultural roots in Kuwait as well as her life now in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She loves poetry and independent cinema and how quiet and mysterious the night is. She is deeply fond of the sea.
Her debut picture book, Where Butterflies Fill the Sky, was published by Bloomsbury Books and named one of the New York Times / New York Public Library’s 10 Best Illustrated Books as well as NPR’s Best Books of 2022. The week before receiving the Dilys Evans Founders Award from the Society of Illustrators, she was honored with an award by the UN Human Rights Commission for creating art that brings visibility to statelessness, indigenous groups, and minority rights.
Represented by Anne Moore Armstrong at The Bright Agency
Original art available through me or with Frank Rose and Martha Traer at Hecho Gallery
New Mexico Writers Board of Directors
Voted on with three other members
Santa Fe, New Mexico
New York Times Illustration Portfolio Review Selection
Ezra Jack Keats Award Honor for Illustration
Brooklyn, New York / Hattiesburg, Mississippi
New York Public Library — Vibrant Voices Book List
Center for Educators and Schools
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year 2023 Edition
United Nations Human Rights Commission | Minority Rights Group | FreeMuse
Art Jury Member — Discrimination and Intersectionality
Geneva, Switzerland
Society of Illustrators | Original Art Show Jury Member
New York City
Bulletin of the Center of Children’s Books
Blue Ribbon 2022
Chicago Public Library
Best of the Best Books 2022
The New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books of 2022
15 November 2022, NYPL
NYC, New York
United Nations Human Rights Commission Art Award
For bringing visibility to minority, indigenous, and stateless rights
3 November 2022, Palais Eynard and UNHCR Headquarters
Geneva, Switzerland
School Library Journal Best Books of 2022
Out from the Margins Award
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
Society of Illustrators – Original Art 2022
Dilys Evans Founder’s Award
New York City, New York
NPR’s Best Books of 2022: Books we Love
Fellowship-in-Residence
Acequia Madre House – Women’s International Study Center
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Mayer of Munich — International District Library Artist Finalist
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Highlights Foundation – Full Scholarship Recipient
Milanville, Pennsylvania
New Mexico Writers Grant Recipient
April 28, La Fonda on the Plaza
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Art in US Embassies Collection
US Diplomat’s Residence
Baghdad, Iraq
Invitation to Mazza Art Museum (Summer 2024)
Museum of International Art from Picture Books
Findlay, Ohio
Boston Public Library | Finalist for Writer/Illustrator-in-residence program
Boston, Massachusetts
August 2021
Longlisted Artist — dPictus Unpublished picture book showcase
Selected artist for Tamarind Institute Public Art Lithography Commission collaboration with Printer Brian Wagner
in partnership with the City of Albuquerque
May 2021
Creative Bravos Award | Awarded by City of Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
January 2021
Acquisition into Bernalillo County Public Art Collection
Longlisted Artist — dPictus Unpublished picture book showcase
Frankfurt Book Fair | Unpublished Picturebook Showcase Feature
Frankfurt, Germany
AOI World Illustration Awards | Shortlisted Artist
London, England
Artist-in-Residence at
Sheikh Abdullah Al–Salem Cultural Centre
Salmiya, Kuwait | March — May
Los Angeles Portfolio Mentorship Award [scbwi]
Los Angeles, California
Women and Creativity Shine Award
Albuquerque, New Mexico
City of Albuquerque Art Collection Purchase
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Makers Muse Award, Kindle Project
An international award given to 8 artists.
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
Picturing Home — Exhibit
9 August to 31 December 2023
Books of Wonder — Virtual Panel
Brooklyn, New York
6pm ET
17 April 2023
Ezra Jack Keats Award Ceremony
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
13 April 2023
Acequia Madre House — Art Residency
WISC Fellowship
Santa Fe, New Mexico
1 April – 30 April
Minority Rights Group
Statelessness, Watercolours, and Ink
Talk with Anna Alboth
10-11 am (New Mexico), 5-6 pm (London), 6-7 pm (Berlin)
28 February 2023
Tucson Festival of Books – Presenting Author
Tucson, Arizona
3 March – 4 March
Om Kalthoum, the Sidra Tree, and the Witch: Shared Memories
of Adailiya — In collaboration with Huda AbdulMughni
Shuwaikh Port, Kuwait
1 February 2023
New Homes, New Stories: An Illustrator Panel about Home and Family
Booklist Panel | American Library Association
Webinar
11 February 2022
Where Butterflies Fill the Sky Book Launch
Encompass, Harwood Art Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico
2 April 2022
Solo Exhibit | Pickled Dreams: Torshi and Kurkum
Hecho Gallery
Santa Fe, New Mexico
3 June 2022
Barnes and Noble Coronado
Signing Event
18 June 2022
Washington D.C. Public Library | Politics and Prose
Author | Illustrator talk
30 June 2022
Santa Fe Public Library | Main Library
Reading for Summer Program
9 July 2022
Bookmarks Literary Arts Festival
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
23 – 24 September 2022
UN Human Rights Commission Award Ceremony
Palais Eynard
Geneva, Switzerland
3 November 2022
Original Art Show – Picture Books
Dilys Evans Founders Award Recipient
Society of Illustrators
New York, New York
10 December 2022
New York Times | New York Public Library
Best Illustrated Books of 2022 Award Ceremony
The New York Public Library – Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III Trustees Room
New York, New York
15 November 2022
Breaking into the Industry Panel
Society of Illustrators
15 November 2022
Saturday Stories Online Workshop
Society of Illustrators
19 November 2022
Special Collections Library Presentation
Albuquerque, New Mexico
10 December 2022
Compass Roses: Maps by Artists | In collaboration with the City of Albuquerque
South Broadway Cultural Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico
22 April 2021
Tamarind Institute Art Residency
Albuquerque, New Mexico
3 May – 14 May 2021
PBS ¡COLORES! Feature
July 3 – July 8 2021
Art in US Embassies | Ambassador Romanowski Exhibit
Den Gallery
Kuwait City, Kuwait
July 11 – July 18
Tamarind Institute Public Art Lithography Reception and Signing
Albuquerque, New Mexico
22 July 2021
Crocodile Tobacco Flowers
Harwood Art Center Front Gallery
Albuquerque, New Mexico
August 2021
Watermelon After Lunch
Cinema La Compagnia | Cartavetra Contemporary Art Gallery
Middle East Now Film Festival
Florence, Italy
September – October 2021
Watermelon after Lunch
Middle East Now Film Festival
Florence, Italy
31 March 2020 (Postponed, Coronavirus)
Standing Mobility
Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Centre
Salmiya, Kuwait
20 April, 2020 (Postponed, Coronavirus)
Bologna Book Fair
dPICTUS Unpublished Picturebook Showcase Feature
Bologna, Italy
4 – 7 May 2020 (Postponed, Coronavirus)
City of Albuquerque Open Space Gallery
Albuquerque, New Mexico
16 May 2020 (Postponed, Coronavirus)
Museum at Home – The Resilience Project
516Arts
Art Installation | Windows in the Future
Organized by 516 Arts, Vital Spaces, Paseo Project
Albuquerque | Santa Fe | Taos
July 2020
International Balloon Museum–Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque
Exhibit and Balloon Fiesta Accompaniment
Albuquerque, New Mexico
September 2020
Albuquerque Art Museum
Large-Format Artist–ArtsThrive Annual Exhibit
Albuquerque, New Mexico
October 2020
City of Santa Fe Art’s Commission Gallery
Silk Purse | Sow’s Ear March 15, 2019
Santa Fe, New Mexico
What’s Your Street Race | Identity as Perceived by Authority
Projection in Vacant Lot Barelas, Albuquerque, New Mexico
April 4, 2019
DAI Museum, Yarmouk Cultural Centre | Abolish 153 annual Exhibit
Yarmouk, Kuwait April 27, 2019
Zeri Crafts | Open House, Selected Works
Salmiya, Kuwait April 29 + 30, 2019
Erna Fergusson Library | Enchantment Show
Albuquerque, New Mexico June 8, 2019
Venice Art Factory + Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Cultural Centre
Group Exhibit : Schola dell’Arte dei Tiraoro e Battioro
Venice, Italy June 2019
Somerset House | London, England
AOI Exhibit — Shortlisted Illustrations
July 11-28
Albuquerque Zine Fest | National Hispanic Cultural Center
October 5, 2019
ArtsThrive: Albuquerque Art Museum
October 20, 2019
Dia de los Muertos Exhibit
South Broadway Cultural Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico November 2, 2019
Fish in Persian Gardens | Poetry and Literature as Revolt
Solo Exhibit Sanitary Tortilla Factory
Albuquerque, New Mexico December 2019
Harwood Art Center, January 2018
Solo Exhibit, When Life Becomes Floral
THE Magazine Contemporary Art + Culture
3 image series, February thru April. Santa Fe, New Mexico
Zendo, February 2018
Solo Exhibit, Oddities of Day to Day Life
A RIVER FLOWING: Contemporary Women Artists
East of West Gallery, February 23, 2018
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Abolish 153 April 14, 2018
HUB Gallery. Al-Sharq, Kuwait
Because it’s Time: Unraveling Race and Place in NM
National Hispanic Cultural Center Art Museum, May 4, 2018
Group Exhibit
Vamos Al Museo, Museum talk + Workshop
National Hispanic Cultural Center, May 5, 2018
Reflections on Studying Dance, September 22, 2018
Maple Street Dance Studio, Albuquerque, New Mexico
ArtsThrive: Albuquerque Art Museum
October 20, 2018
South Broadway Cultural Center
Dia de los Muertos Group Show
October 28, 2018
Prelude
Featuring the work of ten renowned artists from
New Mexico by Invitation
Harwood Art Center
November 19, 2018
12 x 12 Exhibit
Fundraiser Exhibit
Harwood Art Center
December 1, 2018
New Mexico Cancer Center
December 7, 2018
Sales supporting income of patients
Solo Exhibit.
On Dreams and Memories. El Chante Casa de Cultura. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dual Show: Zahra Marwan + Kat Kinnick. (June).
Ruminations and Remnants. Rio Grande Community Farm. Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dual Show: Zahra Marwan + Kat Kinnick. (August).
Ruminations and Remnants. Stranger’s Collective. Santa Fe, New Mexico
Contemporary 2017: Retellings. Juried Show.
Western Colorado Center for the Arts Grand Junction, Colorado
Albuquerque Art Museum. ArtsThrive Juried Exhibit
3 pieces selected. Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Mexico Cancer Center: Artists on the Rise. Juried show, 8 pieces selected
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Form and Concept Gallery Show. Guns to Art Benefit Show.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Where Butterflies Fill the Sky | Bloomsbury Publishing NYC
29 March 2022
The Sunflowers | Feiwel and Friends
Fall 2024
Sakina and the Uninvited Guests | Bloomsbury Publishing NYC
2024
The Goldfish written by Katherine Arden | Astra Books for Young Readers
Fall 2024
Fishermans New Year | Bloomsbury Publishing NYC
2025
My Sister the Apple Tree written by Jamal Saeed and Jordan Scott | Random House
Fall 2025
Soft Sea Rain and Spirits | Enchanted Lion Books
Winter 2025