Originally Canadian but of an international exposure, from playing in the Sahara desert, to growing up in the Atlantic environment of Cape Breton Island, Canada, to the landscapes of New England, to the windy city of Chicago and flatlands of Raggedy Ann’s Indiana, she is a second generation Muslim woman. She is a registered and licensed Architect, registered with NCARB (National Certification and Architectural Registration Board) LEED certified with the US Green Building Council, a member of the American Institute of Architects and Green Roofs for Healthy Cities. Originally hails from Canada, she is a graduate of Carleton University in Ottawa. She has been practicing for 14 years in the USA, with three internationally distinct firms.
Now a founder of her own practice and consultancy, she is principal and founder of a Sustainable and green Architecture practice called, AYN Architect LLC. In addition she is an Islamic Calligraphic Artist with a work unique to her approach and a writer/poet. Her Art is called Pen and Inkpot: a Spiritual Art. She is also the founder of the 501c3 non-profit charitable organization, The Pen and Inkpot Foundation Inc.
Her Art and Architecture are complements, of each other with the thread of philanthropy and written work the constancy. It is the pen which strengthens the bond between each of her works so as to build herself as a Sustainable human, not Man, in order to exhibit and speak on her essays rooted in Islam at various universities and serve as an Architectural guest critic on Green and Islamic Architecture and Art. Her Spiritual Art has been selected for group and solo exhibits and publications all over the USA. Presently, one of her Art pieces was selected to be published by a prominent Christian Author who uses Art as a dialogue in Muslim-Christian relations. All her work celebrate, as she phrases: ‘the stitching of a Sustainable human’. She is presently actively pursuing to publish a non-fiction manuscript. She is a Muslim woman business owner building a social entrepreneurship with the environment, people and spirituality, in mind. She has spoken on her work and exhibited her Art at various events and has been interviewed with a Radio podcast in Cairo, Egypt and IU, in Bloomington, Indiana. Presently, she’s working on a Sustainable Design for a Library for the Lost Boys of Sudan, a restaurant project using corn and wind as an energy source, a pending school following the LEED certification and various visions for a Sustainable design for several communities.
Organization and Group Membership/Affiliations
NCARB-National Certification of Architectural Registration Boards:
AIA-American Institute of Architects
USGBC-US Green Building Council
LEED Certified with the USGBC- Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities
Arts United Allocation Committee-Fort Wayne, IN
MAI-Muslim Alliance of Indiana
ISNA-Islamic Society of North America
IPLA-Licensed in Indiana
IDFPR-License in Illinois
(License in any state or Canada through reciprocity)
Published Work
-IWA Islamic Fiction Stories Anthology: IWA-Many Voices, One Faith II, Short Stories Anthology. 2009. Spiritual Art: Cover design: Name & Attribute Series: Al-Ghafur-The Forgiving
-Published Spiritual Art: Green Notes: A Goodly Tree, published in the ChicagoGalleryNews 2008 by Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
-Islamic Writers Alliance publication: IWA-Many Poetic Voices, One Faith.
2 selected poetic pieces: Orange Blue Bird and Blue Fly, Lullaby. 2009
-Published Spiritual Art: Green Notes: A Goodly Tree, used by Co-Author George Daress and Peggy Daress, interfaith Christian authors on Muslim-Christian dialogue: Reclaiming Beauty for the Good of the World: Muslim & Christian Creativity as Moral Force. Uses the arts as a grounding for Muslim-Christian dialogue. This book is being published by Fons Vitae in the USA. Coming Spring of 2010.
-Interfaith presentation and consultancy 2009 at the First Presbyterian Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana: Faith, Sustainability and Green Architecture: A Muslim woman’s green building, as a core value in her belief in God
-An essay presented at the MWA-Muslim Women’s Alliance, Chicago, Illinois, on March 15, 2009. Essay reflects one of her Art pieces. Hence, the painting and the essay are complimentary: “Compassion is the score of Balance”: ‘as Heaven Lies beneath our Mother’s Feet’”.
-Abstract Presentation at ISNA 2009 (Islamic Society of North America) in Washington DC, Convention center: Faith, Sustainability and Green Architecture: Envisioning a sustainable environment and a Green Mosque for the 21st century, with the color green.
-Muslim Tri-State newspaper: Interview by Baltimore Examiner-Abstract Presentation at ISNA 2009
-EcoStructures’ Magazine: Published building and team Hotchkiss Music and Arts Building, CT. 2006
-Podcast Radio: Women in Islam in the West Interview. Indiana University, Bloomington
-Podcast Radio IOL-Islam on line, radio interview on Art in the Islamic world, Cairo, Egypt
-Writing articles parallel to professional and community work and activism:
-An Op-Ed by a Christian, a Muslim and a Jew, for The Day, in New London, CT. with presentation to The First United Church in New London, CT. 2005
-Articles written on web site: Web site: www.thepenandtheinkpot.org
"Sustainable Human:" To not be is to be in a World Against Reason.
"In a World Against Reason, We Refuse to be Enemies"
the Pen & The Inkpot: A Muslim Woman's Spiritual Art, through the Science (ilm) of knowing the 'heart' (Qalb)
Uncloaked Stitch- a poetic piece after 9-11
-Selected writings in Verse: On website: www.thepenandtheinkpot.org:
Cool Morning Spirit, -published in ‘Echoes of Yesteryear’-Reader’s Digest
A Pilgrim's Tale
Orange Blue Bird
Awards
Ontario Association of Architects Medal
First prize Design Thesis award
High Distinction
Micheal Coote Scholarship
Harry Southam Scholarship
BSA Design Award
Treasure Box Competition: Winner. Make-a-Wish foundation. BSA Design
Day Break Children’s Birdhouse Competition
Indianapolis Botanical Conservatory: Bird House Competition
ACSA Dog house Competition- Honorable Mention. Ottawa, Canada
U.C.C. Art Competition, University of Western Ontario: Winner. (8’x8’) Mural. Ottawa,
Canada.
Nova Scotia Provincial Art Competition: First Prize. Nova Scotia, Canada.
Female Athlete Graduating ClassSalutarian
