Identity and Inspiration

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Sumayyah is a self-taught, multidisciplinary artist whose work exists between worlds, between cultures, eras and artistic traditions.
Of Egyptian and English heritage, she celebrates art from both sides of her identity, drawing inspiration from the romance of the Pre-Raphaelites, the refinement of Renaissance and old Italian masters and the intricate beauty of Arabic geometry and illumination.

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Exhibitions and Recognition

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Her debut solo exhibition, The Multiple Dimensions of Me, ran for a month at Didsbury Parsonage and showcased a deeply personal and stylistically diverse collection. It featured oil paintings in the Italian Renaissance style, ethereal, nature-inspired pieces, Arabic geometric and illuminated designs and expressive abstract works inspired by Al-Aqsa Mosque. The exhibition explored how one artist and one life can be made up of many worlds, each with its own language, rhythm and beauty.

Sumayyah’s work has been published and exhibited in The Art of Life, a collective book created to raise funds and awareness for humanitarian efforts in Palestine, and her collaborative art pieces created with staff have also been displayed at Bruntwood, Booking.com and NatWest. She was commissioned to deliver an influential corporate talk on the History and Influence of Arabic Art, exploring how its philosophy, geometry and mindfulness weave into many areas of life, inspiring thoughtful discussion among a large corporate audience.

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Practice and Process

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Her practice spans illumination, acrylics, watercolour, geometry and sculpture, and she is particularly known for her intricate pieces created on authentic papyrus, a medium that connects her to the heritage of ancient Egyptian artistry. While many artists are encouraged to specialise, Sumayyah embraces being multifaceted, seeing it as a reflection of authenticity rather than indecision.

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Residencies and Creative Society Manchester

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Sumayyah serves as Resident Artist at both the Portico Library and Grounded Café, and is a member of the Public Programming Committee at the Portico Library, where she helps shape inclusive and diverse cultural events. Through her company Creative Society Manchester, she teaches multiple art and mindfulness workshops every month, all of which regularly sell out. Her classes cover a wide range of art forms and crafts, from Arabic geometry and illumination to painting, sculpture and wellbeing sessions, making her one of the few artists in Manchester offering this unique blend of cultural and creative practice.

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Inclusion and Representation

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Passionate about accessibility and representation, Sumayyah works to bring heritage-inspired art from many cultures into spaces where it has often been overlooked, including Manchester City Council, the Portico Library, Lyme Park and major corporates. She collaborates with artists from a range of backgrounds to create workshops that celebrate Black History Month, Japanese art, Pakistani truck art, Arabic geometry and illumination and Palestinian tatreez embroidery, giving under-represented artists the opportunity to share their culture and earn from their craft.

Her projects also focus on breaking barriers for Muslim women and underrepresented audiences, bringing art into venues and historic spaces such as Lyme Park, where people may have previously felt unwelcome or intimidated. Through creativity and community, she helps make those spaces feel inclusive, safe and full of belonging.

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Teaching and Talks

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Alongside her professional art practice, she has taught after-school art and wellbeing lessons to hundreds of children across Manchester, led private creative sessions, and been invited to Parrs Wood High School to speak about art, entrepreneurship and her journey. She also hosts Art and Togetherness events, encouraging others to reconnect with creativity as a form of mindfulness and shared experience.

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Training and Philosophy

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Sumayyah undertook formal training with the Florence Academy of Arts, studying the works and techniques of the old masters under expert tutors in classical drawing, painting and sculpture. The experience culminated in the creation of final works in Florence, a transformative period that continues to shape her artistic philosophy and visual style. She also holds a Master’s in Psychology with a focus on mindfulness, which she weaves into her creative process to explore calm, reflection and emotional depth.

Contact and Collaborations

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Her art is a celebration of duality, of East and West, tradition and innovation, discipline and emotion. Sumayyah believes that art, like identity, doesn’t have to choose one side. It’s in the in-between that the magic truly happens.

Sumayyah is available for commissions, collaborations, workshops and teaching opportunities, and welcomes conversations with galleries, organisations and collectors interested in displaying or working with her art.

Get in touch to collaborate or discuss future projects.