Rashidah Salam

Re-Member

Muse Gallery is pleased to announce Re-Member, an exhibition by Muse artist member, Rashidah Salam and guest artist, Deborah Bruns-Thomas. Re-Member features new sculptural work and paintings by Rashidah Salam and new paintings by Bruns-Thomas.

Artist Statement by Rashidah Salam

My work reflects my study in comparing design from other cultures to my own as an immigrant from Malaysia. The layering effect is, therefore, the result of amalgamating the varying textile patterns, decorative and architectural elements, and sculptural objects traditional to my country and of those I have experienced in my travels and research.

One of the more interesting aspects is when I can incorporate unexpected and found materials, and using my learned skills, present novel end results. I appreciate incorporating mundane or discarded materials into my painted works, such as abandoned hobby items or leftover bits of broken materials that once held value or significance. This process brings new life and new uses to such remnants. I use patterns and shapes of color as guides for arranging compositions. I draw upon traditional textile and decorative patterns from my upbringing when starting a new work. My work reflects my study in comparing design from other cultures to my own. In addition, I think about and present layers of patterns and color in the way I view and create three-dimensional objects and sculpture. The layering effect is, therefore, the result of amalgamating the varying textile patterns, decorative and architectural elements, and sculptural objects traditional to my country and of those I have experienced in my travels and research.

I want to create a landscape that elicits a combination of magnolia and Ashoka flowers that evokes the layering effects of my painting style. This layering represents the passage of time and the circular nature of culmination and renewal. Through my flower-scape, I desire to create a scene of exuberance contrasted with a feeling of endurance. Both are expressed through the adding and subtracting inherent in the layering process. The flowers are a representation of life. Flowers regenerate the feeling of a new life, a new beginning. Utilizing the overall flower composition, I also want to incorporate into the design, pattern motifs of such flowers to create a unique dreamscape feeling.

The Magnolia, Lily and Ashoka flowers have special significance to me. The magnolia tree in front of our house starts to bloom by late March and is interestingly followed by our lily plants: when the magnolia flowers fall the lily starts to bloom. The Ashoka flowers keep on blooming in my memory.

Artist Statement by Deborah Bruns-Thomas

I make whimsical still life paintings depicting candy, porcelain dishes and sculpted animals. Often small in scale with rich colors and expressive brush strokes, my boldly painted arrangements of sugary confections become imaginary and fantastical scenes of plenty. I work from life, recreating scenes of temptations and indulgences with faint echoes of fairytales and nursery rhymes.

Website: deborahbrunsthomas.com

Ashoka Flowers

Artist: Rashidah Salam

Title: Ashoka Flowers
Medium: Alpaca yarns, parchments paper on steel structure
Date: 2025

Dimensions: 33 inches diameter

Description:

The Ashoka Flowers three dimensional work was created to revive the Ashoka flowers patterns from the series of collections of my colorful and beaded embedded paintings in the show.

The patterns were drawn meticulously using the alpaca wool yarns glued on delicate parchment papers. The selected patterns in the sculpture were embossed one by one by filing the pieces with the batting materials for the soft puffy cushy effects. All the parts of the patterns, flat patterns and puffy patterns were assembled into a new patterns on a circular steel structure. I wanted to create a three-dimensional patterns that grows and moves in a circular path and flow. The raw materials used and the neutral color palette were to symbolize a renewal, the new beginning. The mirror was placed at the center of the flower for the reflection.

Instagram: @rashidahsalam_creatives

Magnolia Flowers

Artist: Rashidah Salam

Title: Magnolia Flowers Sculpture
Medium: Alpaca yarns, parchments paper on steel structure
Date: 2025

Dimensions: 44” x 44” inches diameter

Description:

The Ashoka flowers sculpture was created using the olive branches and magnolias flowers patterns from the series of my colorful beaded paintings in the Re-Member show. The elements use in the sculpture were the olive leaves, magnolia flowers petals and tiger lilies flowers patterns were arranged from the center to mimic the star burst energy. The web patterns at the center of the flower were drawn carefully by hand using the wool alpaca yarns glued on the delicate parchment papers. Selected patterns on the web were embossed and filled up with the batting materials for an interesting puffy and cushy effects to the softer touch. Selected magnolia flowers puffy petals were stenciled using a special homemade cut out stencils of the Ashoka flowers motifs to replicate the pattern on the Tiger lilies flowers. The raw materials used and the neutral color palette is to symbolize a renewal, the new beginning. The shimmery golden glazed was painted to the surface of the puffy flower petals for the sparkles and to add the joy effect to the flowers as if the flowers have been lit buy the full moon light bright shining on the flowers. The Star burst composition is a symbol of expanding the endless energy and the new beginnings.

Instagram: @rashidahsalam_creatives

Dream Catcher

Artist: Rashidah Salam

Title: Dream Catcher
Medium: Alpaca yarns, parchments paper, coconut shell beads, wires, 15x magnification mirror on crescent moon steel structure
Date: 2025

Dimensions: 36 inches diameter

Description:

The Dream Catcher sculpture coincidentally looked similar to the dream catchers by the Ojibwe (Chippewa) people. Their dream catchers are believed to filter out negative dreams and energies while allowing positive ones to pass through to the dreamer.

In my the Dream catcher, the hoop and the crescent moon steel structure are the fundamental component of the dream catcher representing the circle of life. The hoop is made as a continuous cycle without a definitive beginning or end. The hoops, representing the universe and the circle of life. The hoops were intertwined and raised on an angle signifying the endless unity and the interconnectedness of all beings. The olive leaves attached to the hoops of the dream catcher serve as a gentle ladder for the continuous hope.

The magnolia flowers petals on the rim of the dream catcher were embossed and filled up with the batting materials for an interesting puffy and cushy effects to the softer touch. These flowers petals were stenciled using a homemade cut out patterns stencils of the Ashoka flowers motifs and the tiger lily flowers.

The webs patterned by hand using Alpaca wool yarns drawing using the Ashoka flowers and tiger lilies patterns flowers covered partial of the flowers. The 5x magnification mirror woven into the web allows one looking self. These elements combined create a powerful symbol of protection, connection and hope.

The mobile coconut shells beads were placed in the pockets of the center of the two flowers. The coconut shells beads represent my childhood dreams where I grew up. Plant your dreams and the dreams will come true.

The dream catcher is to symbolize a renewal, the new beginning.

Instagram: @rashidahsalam_creatives

Olives Landscape

Artist: Rashidah Salam

Title: Olives Landscape
Medium: Alpaca yarns, colored plastic microbeads and acrylic paints on canvas
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 36” (H) x 16” (W) x 1” (D)

Descriptions:

The Olives Landscape painting depicted the level of a hierarchy of a landscape: land, river, mountain and sky. Repeated symmetry olive trees and the leaves branches in the painting to create a series implied shapes of a heart as a symbol of love and hope. The batik patterns using Magnolia and Ashoka flowers motifs were subtly incorporated into the pattern design. The olive leaves and magnolias were embellished with shiny colored plastic microbeads. The colors of the microbeads mimicked the colors painted on the flowers. Selected patterns were raised for the tactile textures, a series of cut-out layers of thin papers were glued on the patterns. Hand drawn alpaca yarns to create Ashoka flowers patterns were added as a finished touch wrapped on the embellished patterns as a metaphor of protection.

Instagram: @rashidahsalam_creatives

Orange Moon

Artist: Rashidah Salam

Title: Orange Moon Painting
Medium: Colored plastic microbeads and acrylic paints on canvas
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 30” (H) x 24” (W) x 1” (D)

Descriptions:

The Orange Moon painting is a garden of an emotions using magnolia flowers and olive branches. The foundation of the composition of the painting started with the one-inch grids through the dots going across and down on the canvas. The batik motifs inspired by the Ashoka flowers were subtly incorporated into the pattern design. The olive leaves and magnolia flowers were embellished with shiny colored plastic microbeads. The colors of the microbeads mimicked the colors painted on the flowers.

Instagram: @rashidahsalam_creatives

Magnolias Garden

Artist: Rashidah Salam

Title: Magnolias Garden Painting
Medium: Colored plastic microbeads and acrylic paints on canvas
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 30” (H) x 24” (W) x 1” (D)

Descriptions:

The Magnolias Garden painting is a garden of an emotions using magnolia flowers and olive branches. The foundation of the composition of the painting started with the one-inch grids through the dots going across and down on the canvas. The batik motifs inspired by the Ashoka flowers were subtly incorporated into the pattern design. The olive leaves and magnolia flowers were embellished with shiny colored plastic microbeads. The colors of the microbeads mimicked the colors painted on the flowers. The vibrant colors in the painting depicting the bright sunny vibrant colors of Malaysia.

Instagram: @rashidahsalam_creatives

Carousel Magnolias No. 1

Artist: Rashidah Salam

Title: Carousel Magnolias No.1
Medium: Alpaca yarns, colored plastic microbeads, paper buttons and acrylic paints on canvas
Date: 2025
Dimensions: 20” (H) x 24” (W) x 1” (D)

Descriptions:

Magnolia flowers were arranged intertwined with the olives leaves in a circular carousel. The foundation of the composition of the painting started with the one-inch grids through the dots going across and down on the canvas. The arrangement of the flowers and olive leaves in the painting was to mimic the Victorian, Baroque and Rococo periods. The olive leaves and magnolias were duplicated with the wool alpaca yarns drawing on parchments papers and were then embellished with shiny colored plastic microbeads. The colors of the microbeads mimicked the colors painted on the flowers. Selected patterns were raised for the tactile textures, a series of cut-out layers of thin papers were glued on the patterns. Hand drawn alpaca yarns to create Ashoka flowers patterns were added as a finished touch wrapped on the embellished patterns as a metaphor of grow and revival.

Instagram: @rashidahsalam_creatives

shidahsalam@verizon.net