An Eritrean native, Nahom left his home country at the age of twelve. His artworks explore emotional and spiritual experiences as well as connections through colors and brush strokes. He has always been fascinated with how we are able to convey countless emotions through facial expressions and body gestures. Nahom wonders about the untold stories and experiences behind every face he gets to interact with. He strives to capture that through his brush strokes, charcoal marks, and color pallet choices. He puts a lot of emphasis in his color choice and uses it to communicate feelings and evoke emotions that cannot be put into words.
Nahom’s long journey to Seattle included four years in Sudan as a refugee and about a year traveling through South and Central America to join his mother who left Eritrea when he was a baby. Experiencing life in different parts of the world has expanded his artistic perspective. Art is not just a means of self-expression for Nahom; it emotionally connects him to the community at large. In 2022, he was one of 12 from 88 artists selected by the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture to participate in the Public Art Bootcamp.
In the creation of Nahom’s work, he uses different mediums which include oil, acrylic, pastel, and charcoal. He loves creating art that evokes a sense of social awareness for the community. Nature, listening to people’s stories, people watching, and music are his main sources of inspiration. Through his art, he wants to inspire people to look more deeply at the things around them, things that form this beautiful and complex life.