The Artist
"To create art that explores the intersection of humanity, sustainability, and equity."
Nafia Syeed is a Bangladeshi-American interdisciplinary artist based in Northern Virginia. Working across painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, jewelry, encaustic, and mosaic techniques, she creates work inspired by nature, hidden beauty, and the interconnectedness of life.
A Muslim woman, mother, and seeker of hidden beauty, Syeed is drawn to what is often overlooked, a bee sustaining an ecosystem, a flower emerging through adversity, or the quiet moments that reveal resilience and grace. Her work explores themes of identity, healing, sustainability, and human connection, often using layered materials and processes to symbolize the beauty that exists beneath the surface.
Syeed graduated Summa Cum Laude from Northern Virginia Community College with an Associate of Fine Arts in Visual Arts and is continuing her studies at George Mason University, combining Art and Psychology. Her work has been exhibited in multiple juried exhibitions and reflects her belief that art can foster empathy and encourage positive change.
Through Nafiart Studio, she creates art that invites viewers to slow down, look closer, and discover the extraordinary hidden within the everyday.
To view more of her work, visit her on Instagram and Facebook at @NafiartStudio.
Bangladesh
"Where you find people smiling even if they live with the bare minimum,
where family is everything and you never feel alone,
where I left a piece of my heart." - Nafia Syeed
Fabric Scraps
I bring fabric scraps from Bangladesh, the second largest textile manufacturer in the world. The fabrics that I use for our jewelries and art are mainly handloom Jamdani Muslin , a form of amazing ancient fabric called Muslin which don't exist in the world anymore and Katan Banarasi a traditional fabric that is worn by the brides of Bangladesh on their wedding day.
Natural Found Objects
A lot of my pieces are made with elements of nature like flowers, leaves, butterfly wings, shells, bird feathers, and stones. Carrying or having little pieces of nature makes one feel the blessings around us.
Recycled Plastic
I use plastics from recycled water bottles for my jewelries and art. These are individually hand sculpted and fused to create different organic shapes.