Introducing the Art of Hajra Meeks
A while back I put together a site to display some beautiful artwork, hand-built in php with css and all the bells and whistles. Then I found out that even though my work was standards-compliant, Internet Explorer sadly isn’t. Now, through the joys of WordPress and its limitless plugins, I’ve begun the process of folding Hajra’s work into Seven Lions. Hajra created the cover and interior illustrations for Son of the Great River–the cover is inspired by the cave paintings at Lascaux and her pen-and-ink illustrations, though reduced in quality due to the black-and-white printing and small size necessary for interior illustrations, are equally stunning. Her classical and modern-style calligraphy is just another example of the growing vibrancy of modern Islamic art. But the most beautiful work is reserved for Hajra’s own literary product, a picture book set in the Golden Age of Islam, to which I’m not allowed to even mention that much. If I’m lucky I’ll even cajole her into explaining some of her techniques and inspirations.
