These paintings are pure joy. Flit away to an idyllic mental holiday for a few minutes with companions Kandinsky, Signac, Van Gogh, Monet and Nourah.

When my eyes caught miniature photographs of the French impressionist Monet amidst the sea of art at Sikka Art Fair, I half-ran, half-walked to get a look up close. Standing about 3 inches away from the wall, I was swept by surprise; what I assumed were miniature photographs of Monet’s work from afar, were in fact Nourah’s pointillist drawings of his work.

Pointillism is a technique in which small, distinct dots of color are applied in patterns to form a cohesive image [Yes, folks – the painting above is created with pain-staking concentration and dots].

Clearly, Nourah Abdullah has been bestowed with her fair share of patience and skill. An outspoken woman with ideas simmering in her eyes, she talks about the work of masters [Monet, Gogh, Signac] with infectious admiration.

She swooned over Monet, as we spoke, and I instantly knew I had found a life-long artist at the edge of her prime. She successfully communicates the same uplifting spirit that the masters integrated in their work, with her own personal touch.

I can say that with some confidence, since just like Monet’s work, these drawings may make you want to drop your life, head to the countryside and create.

After having dabbled in a lot of different techniques, she took to pointillism and mastered it in 2014. It’s been a upward ride ever since. Her work was exhibited at the Sikka Art Fair 2015, the first of many large exhibitions.

Take a look at what inspires Nourah as an artist and how you can dive into a specific technique [it all starts with a glance]:

Which Pointillists would you recommend budding artists take a look at?

When it comes to Pointillism, I’d say take a look at George Seurat’s work. He is considered the founding father and was known for his experimentation, like blending analogous colors without mixing them [Also check out Paul Signac, my personal favorite].

Tell us a little about your process.

To be honest, I’m not perfect at drawing, but I have a lot of ideas & paintings that I want to bring to life.

So I look for images to use as references. I do a very light sketch with pencil on paper, then start “dotting” using dark colors, ending with light colors. When I start “dotting”, the dots are, at first, far away from each other to identify the shaded area from the light area.

Why do you prefer interpretations of the masters?

It’s a great way to build a foundation in art. My favorite form of pointillism is a derivative of the impressionism era and the found fathers can teach you a lot. Not only do I learn about the artist & the art movement, but it’s also a fun history lesson for me to learn about the circumstances that the artist lived in.

Tell us about your movement towards your original compositions.

I thought it would be difficult to shift from the master to my own. However, I think I spent enough time with the masters that I got enough experience to move on and create my own body of work.

Which of your works is your favorite?

I actually have 2 favorites! One is Paul Signac’s “Pink Cloud”. The original painting (the colors) are very subtle. However, I used bold bright colors which emitted a happy positive energy to everyone who saw it.

My other favorite is my original “A New Hope”. It is originally from a photo I had taken earlier this year (Jan/Feb), which has the sun’s rays piercing out from behind blue clouds, dissolving the dark clouds. It is to spread the message of hope. Even though things may seem dim & dark, but if you tried to adjust your mindset or considered a different mental approach to a situations or circumstance, you will be able to see the positive side & might, for instance, find a better solution!

She has exquisitely re-drawn paintings like Starry Night by Van Gogh and The Pink Boat by Paul Signac adding her own spotty touch. Take a look at the B-change favorites below: