Ezmeel

Abd al-Rahman founded his business, Ezmeel, in the hopes of joining the recent movement in support of buying local. He combines wood-carving techniques and traditional Arabic calligraphy to create high-quality personalized art pieces. 

The creation process is just as detailed as the final products he produces. Before he began selling his art on a large scale, Abd al-Rahman had to develop (and perfect) his own wood-carving machines. He also had to find sustainable, local materials for his items. He constructs his pieces meticulously, beginning with the design process. He then individually crafts each item using the carving machines. Finally, he employs a specialized antiquing process in order to give his pieces a sophisticated finish. Ezmeel combines calligraphy, art, and pop culture to create pieces that are not only aesthetically appealing but that draw on the rich history of Arab culture. His themes range from poetry to quotes to religious verses, and much more. 

Abd al-Rahman notes that while the creation of each one of his pieces is very time-consuming, the biggest problem he faces as a handicraftsman is working in a market that is saturated with cheap replicas of his products. However, his goal is to change the general consumer attitude about handmade items, like his, and encourage people to support their local art community. 

He hopes to be a part of a movement that promotes local artisans as quality producers that can compete both locally and internationally. Ezmeel aims to embrace the Arabic language heritage through the long-time tradition of Arabic calligraphy.