MHCC artist re-imagines classics

 

Iraqi refugee Jawad Thagel, a Mt. Hood student who attends ESL classes at the Maywood campus, will have his art featured in the Diversity Resource Center (DRC) at the main campus through Feb. 27.

Thagel’s work includes four paintings that are replicas of existing art that was painted by Europeans in the 1500s, said instructor Denise Georgioff, who is helping him with his exhibit.

“They would come, they would do these beautiful paintings, and so this particular series is replicating these classic paintings by many European artists,” she said.

Thagel will present some original work, as well. One untitled painting is a picture of three women sitting and having tea.

“We have (a) tradition of (a) three lady meeting after two month(s or so)” – the women would get together and drink tea and talk about their lives, he said.

Thagel said he started painting at six or seven years old, when he was still living in Iraq. He wasn’t formally trained as a child. “I was little, but I draw. Not a lot of technique, but I draw,” he said.

Because of his talent, Thagel’s friend suggested that he showcase his art. His exhibit in the DRC at Mt. Hood is the first time he has displayed his work in the U.S., he said.

Thagel prefers not to do replica work. “I don’t like this because you mimic some art,” he said. “I need (to) make something – what I feel. I need create something.”

He constantly works on sketching, but challenges include finding time and funding to create full paintings. “I have many idea in my brain, but I cannot do this because color very expensive,” he said. “Canvas also expensive; for example, if one want to buy colors here, $3 or $4, which in my country, $1. See the difference?”

He wants to be able to create original work. “I like draw(ing) portrait(s), or special landscape portraits because when you draw like this, you feel free,” he said.

“Next show, I try to draw portrait, ’cause you feel you make something. You make it,” Thagel said. “When you (look at a) picture, you try (to) transfer the color from the picture to the canvas.” He said that when he’s looking at something with his eyes, it comes alive.

Thagel said that in Iraq, many artists don’t replicate from other pictures: They usually go straight to painting what they see with their eyes in nature. “(You always got nature, or (you) discover many thing(s), especially about… color, or… the shade,” he said.

In Iraq, Thagel worked as a graphic designer, but he didn’t enjoy the field. “My occupation over there is designer, I don’t like designer,” he said.

To become an established painter, Thagel acknowledges that he needs a lot of practice.

“Here in America it’s easy, because everything is available. When I sometimes go to art store like this, I watch – wow! My country, mostly all this come from Chinese. (T)his good, it work, but the quality is not that decent.

“Here, everything is amazing. Amazing, but expensive,” he said.