Prayer Room Inspired by the Artwork of Salma Arastu

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Salma Arastu is an artist located in the East Bay area of California who has been painting for thirty years. Ever since I was given one of her calendars as an Eid gift I have been inspired by her beautiful work and decorated my home with her tile work.  From her Your True Greeting cards to her paintings Arastu’s aesthetic is truly singular. 

She writes on her website that her most recent work is inspired by the “theme of people. Crowds of people, moving together, merging together, in groups, conversing, dancing or arguing. People of all lands with their colorful fabrics and intimate gestures, lyrical movements and intricate patterns.”  This theme has yielded arresting works that allow for an exploration of the meaning of both oneness and complex plurality. One of her recent paintings is pictured below.

Sharing Light Salma Arastu

I selected a number of Arastu’s artworks for a prayer room:

collage of Arastu

Inspired by the royal purple and traditional green tones of the works I decided to make these colors the central theme in the prayer space:  

purple and green prayer space

The large cabinet allows for storage of Islamic literature, prayer rugs and scarves. Pillows are lined against the wall for seating and accent. The green chair offers a comfortable place to read Qur’an after prayer.

(pictured in prayer room collage * Thai green pillows(Target) *solid color Gaspa pillows (Pier One) *plum print pillows (Pier One) *Green natural bamboo vases (Pier ONe) *plum tinted candles (Pier One)*Tanibar 2 door cabinet (homedecorator.com)*Barbados lamp(homedecorator.com)*Poise Area Rug (homedecorator.com)*Green loft chair(Target)

(c) Baitunjamil 2008

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