“Van Cleef & Arpels is all about the stories, so for me, it’s been a kind of transition from just being an artist that presents a few lines of words, to being an artist that presents stories,” explains Emirati calligrapher Maryam Al Balooshi.
She is speaking of her recent collaboration with the storied French jewellery house for which she created a series of three unique artworks for Ramadan.
“I was approached at the end of 2018 about this conversation between a calligrapher and a jewellery brand. It was a new experience, and I had to take it to learn and grow, so I accepted.”
Al Balooshi is an engineer and author, as well as a respected calligrapher, and is well known in the UAE for her unique style of using coloured inks.
Having been fascinated by calligraphy as a child, and a dedicated student throughout high school, Al Balooshi suddenly stopped in 2003. “I quit for six years. I didn’t do anything, not even hold a pen. I thought it was the end of that journey for me.
"But when something is inside you, it keeps knocking on the door, and when I went back to calligraphy, my teacher said that I needed to decide. Did I want to be just a normal calligrapher, or did I want to be a designer? I told him I want to be a designer.”
For those outside the world of lettering, the difference between the two is subtle, but critical.
A calligrapher faithfully copies the work of others, emulating the style and technique. A designer, however, creates his or her own unique style, and finds their own visual "voice". That Al Balooshi had her sights set on being a designer elevated her into another realm. "It needs a lot of patience and work, you can't just do it all at once. It takes years.
“In calligraphy, we don’t mix the colours; it’s a one-stroke shot, and you need to be strong and confident to do it. When you look at the gradient [of colour] you can tell if the calligrapher is a strong person or not. That’s why people don’t like to use colour, it will show your weaknesses.”
Despite the difficultly of working exclusively in coloured inks (“I wear an abaya, I already know all about black,” she says, with a laugh), she is adamant this best expresses her work. Using tools called bamboos, dipped in ink, each letter is made using bold arcs, in merely one sweep. “Each tool needs practise before you can use it properly. I can do all the lettering in one day, but it takes months of finishing.”
That includes making sure each line is balanced and perfect, removing any excess with a small, but extremely sharp knife. For this, steady nerves and hand are required. “You have to be very relaxed, because you don’t touch the paper, you touch the ink,” she explains.
Of the finished artworks with Van Cleef & Arpels, Al Balooshi is happy with the results and is looking forward to sharing it with Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah.
“He is the father of calligraphy here, he built the museum of calligraphy, and the institute. He is a calligrapher himself, and I have been told he has a studio in his palace and he prepares his own ink. So he understands the work that goes into each piece. I can assure you I am not the best calligrapher in the UAE, but I am confident that I have my own way of designing,” she explains.
The story behind her Van Cleef & Arpels pieces ...
When the project with Van Cleef & Arpels began in earnest, Al Balooshi confesses to initially feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of teaming up with such a big international company.
In calligraphy, when you look at the gradient [of colour] you can tell if the calligrapher is a strong person or not. That's why people don't like to use colour, it will show your weaknesses
“It was scary in the beginning, but I knew that Van Cleef were perfectionists and cared about the details, so in this we shared a common ground. They began sharing with me stories about the jewellery and I started to connect to their minds. Art is not about the final pieces, but about the whole process – from the first idea to the final piece. It is a journey.
"Van Cleef & Arpels said it wanted to do something new for the region, and not the typical card of the Moon for Ramadan, and I said I was very happy to think about it differently, because Ramadan is not just about the Moon and the stars. I said ‘let's think about the meaning of the holy month, and the meanings and values.’
“I started to ask my friends about the values of Ramadan they love the most, while I learnt about the Van Cleef story. We found a lot of similarity in the values of love, friendship, kindness. When they think about their jewellery, they think about the feelings and the stories."
The work she has created for Van Cleef is three original art pieces, entitled Ramadan, Eid Mubarak and Flowers of Values.
Ramadan is a sweep of green, in cursive, flowing lines that carry the viewer on a journey around the page. Soft and enveloping, it is as inviting and encompassing as one would expect of a tribute to the holy month.
Eid Mubarak, meanwhile, is in earthen brown, held in two golden circles, stacked above each other. With the letters curling to fill the space, it feels warm and comforting. Underneath is a flourish of the same green.
The third artwork is perhaps the most intriguing, coming in the form of a stylised flower. Called the Flowers of Values, it was, Al Balooshi explains, the most challenging to create.
"Normally as an artist, I just lock myself in my studio, but to have a collaboration took a lot of talking to reach understanding and agreement. We had a lot of discussion and exchanges. We started with 38 values and ended up with 12. It took a long time to come to an agreement, because as an artist, I have to feel it, but it's about people getting together, to connect."
Divided into couplets that read Love & Happiness, Togetherness & One Community, Caring & Family, Balance & Harmony, Giving & Kindness, Light & Positivity, a lot of work went into making sure this was absolutely the right wording.
“The difficult part was the Arabic wording,” Al Balooshi explains. “I had to translate it to English, but sometimes that didn’t reflect the ideas. So, understanding the two languages was a challenge, and to find words that were similar. In Arabic, words have different meanings, so we had to be very careful and that took a long time.”
With the wording finalised, it was then left to Al Balooshi to translate them into artwork.
"In calligraphy, especially in colours, it needs a lot of patience, detail and time invested in each piece. Working with colours is not easy. You need to keep the pattern, you need to keep the lines, and it's the same with jewellery. It's all about the same detail."
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
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Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
The biog
Hometown: Birchgrove, Sydney Australia
Age: 59
Favourite TV series: Outlander Netflix series
Favourite place in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque / desert / Louvre Abu Dhabi
Favourite book: Father of our Nation: Collected Quotes of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Thing you will miss most about the UAE: My friends and family, Formula 1, having Friday's off, desert adventures, and Arabic culture and people
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Company%20profile
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Cheeseburger%20ingredients
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Healthy tips to remember
Here, Dr Mohamed El Abiary, paediatric consultant at Al Zahra Hospital Dubai, shares some advice for parents whose children are fasting during the holy month of Ramadan:
Gradual fasting and golden points - For children under the age of 10, follow a step-by-step approach to fasting and don't push them beyond their limits. Start with a few hours fasting a day and increase it to a half fast and full fast when the child is ready. Every individual's ability varies as per the age and personal readiness. You could introduce a points system that awards the child and offers them encouragement when they make progress with the amount of hours they fast
Why fast? - Explain to your child why they are fasting. By shedding light on the importance of abstaining from food and drink, children may feel more encouraged to give it there all during the observance period. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about controlling urges, doing good for others and instilling healthy food habits
Sleep and suhoor - A child needs adequate sleep every night - at least eight hours. Make sure to set a routine early bedtime so he/she has sufficient time to wake up for suhoor, which is an essential meal at the beginning of the day
Good diet - Nutritious food is crucial to ensuring a healthy Ramadan for children. They must refrain from eating too much junk food as well as canned goods and snacks and drinks high in sugar. Foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and proteins, like fruits, fresh meats and vegetables, make for a good balanced diet
The years Ramadan fell in May
Zayed Sustainability Prize
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Frida%20
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,000mm, Winners: Mumayaza, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winners: Sharkh, Pat Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
6pm: The President’s Cup Prep - Conditions (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Somoud, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Abu Dhabi Equestrian Gold Cup - Prestige (PA) Dh125,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ruwais – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m, Winner: Nibras Passion, Bernardo Pinheiro, Ismail Mohammed
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 3 (Abraham 11', 17', 74')
Luton Town 1 (Clark 30')
Man of the match Abraham (Chelsea)
MATCH INFO
Southampton 0
Manchester City 1 (Sterling 16')
Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
Mountain%20Boy
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zainab%20Shaheen%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Naser%20Al%20Messabi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Mobile phone packages comparison
