I have always been very interested in the creative process. After leaving Afghanistan at about 22 years old, I settled in Brussels for a few years & trained as a painter at the St. Lukas College of Art & Architecture before moving to the states. In 2013 I arrived in Albuquerque & came into contact with Southwestern jewelry designs. The similarities between Southwestern & Central Asian jewelry techniques were very fascinating so I put all my creative energy into making jewelry. I took some jewelry making classes and began the journey of creating pieces that are not Native American or Central Asian, but unique and beautiful — jewelry that represents the mixture of cultures that I am.