Colors are the reflection of my soul .

My art is a result of inspiration escorting a brush saturated with a rainbow of colors.

Nahda

A piece of silk is transformed from white yarn to fine art, from threads of fiber to colorful expressions. 

Taming the silk, while maintaining its vibrancy is a challenge that has paid well in invigorating spectacles. Using her silk techniques, and her fine art education in Florence Italy, Nahda has been able to render similar vibrancy to her watercolors. The viewer, inspired by the scene and energized by a glimpse into the artist’s soul, is made to feel the gentle breeze of Provence, to peek through the windows of an Italian villa, to sip on an espresso in a Parisian sidewalk cafe and to smell the roses in the artist’s garden in northern California. 

Nahda has travelled extensively, seeking to be inspired by colors and light. Her French, Italian and Californian scenes are visual poetry, a symphony of colors, and a testimony to her mastery of both painting on silk and watercolor. Her work has received great acclaim in the US and internationally in southern France (Cannes, 1989), in Florence, Italy (1998) and at the Index 97, Dubai, U.A.E. (1997). Nahda’s latest water color scenes were inspired in Europe. Her Parisian and Italian vistas are exhilarating in their contents of walkways, doors, windows and water fountains, and warmed by an astute choice of colors and shades. 

Her art currently embellishes the walls of several Royal palaces in Saudi Arabia. A significant number of her art pieces have been commissioned by home and hotel decorators, while other pieces adorn the walls of galleries in California and Virginia. Over the past few years she has been juried into some of the most respected art exhibitions in California and has been awarded the Blue Ribbon for best artist at the Almaden Valley art show in San Jose, California. 



Quotes:
" ....depicts vibrant vistas of France, Italy and California in her colorful interpretations on silk. "
Mary Ann Cook

"Nahda Balaa is another honoree in art. From San Jose, she has been in the Saratoga Rotary art show for some years."
Mary Ann Cook / Saratoga News

 

 

ARTIST NO# 1 AT THE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL

The colors were in abundance at the 21st annual Almaden Art and Wine at Parma Park in mid September, but the hues on canvas judged the most alluring of all were the work of Almaden artist Nahda Balaa (left), who is congratulated by art chairperson Karen Zimmerman. The festival, played out in 90-degree weather, lured another large throng of celebrants, vendors and shoppers. See the Almaden Times photo album on page 19.

oct.16-1997

Excerpt from:

SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1998

COMMUNITY FOCUS

ALMADEN/ SAOUTH SAN JOSE

Artist comes home to Almaden

Art and Wine Festival                Has features for all ages.

By C.J. CANNINIO

Special to the Mercury News

Among the 130 artists at Sunday’s 22nd Almaden Art and Wine Festival is a water colorist who started writing Middle Eastern cookbooks and wound up winning the blue ribbon at last year’s festival.

“My favorite painting this year is Venetian Serenade,” said Nahda Balaa, who was born in Lebanon and has lived in Almaden for nine years.

She has also spent much of that time in France and Italy painting small-town scenes. “This year’s show is all about Italy ,” said Balaa. She will also incorporate some of last year’s French vistas into the exhibit of about 119 works.

The Almaden festival is one of her favorite shows “because I feel it’s home; it’s my hometown,” she said.

The Almaden Art and Wine festival is a hometown celebration and a fundraiser organized by the Almaden valley women’s club. While there is no admission fee to the festival, the money from the sale of engraved wine and beer glasses and T-shirts goes back into the Almaden community. Last year the club raised more than $36’000, which benefited 12 non-profit groups, including the Almaden Community Center and Second Harvest Food Bank. As in the past, two graduating high school students from Almaden valley will receive $ 1’000 scholarships.

The wine and beer gardens feature 16 area wineries and microbreweries. A food alley offers 17 booths, and the Children’s Carnival contains pony rides, a jump house, a Hula-Hoop contest, games and crafts. There’s also entertainment for the younger set, including Heather the magician, Dancekids, Swingkids and South Valley Spirit.

Adults and teens can watch cheerleaders from area schools, the Rfater Rockers Square Dancers, the Golden Green School of Irish Dancing and the Farouche Desert Delights belly dancers. Rounding off the evening entertainment is the Dread Boys Steel Band.

“This year I’m really looking forward to the Irish dancing’ the kids do a great job and it’s something I enjoy,” said Pat Forster, a 10-year attendee.

The Almaden Art and Wine Festival /  Almaden Community Center at / (408) 268-1133.