Everything I do has, in one way or another, a link to Lebanon. I think my heart is still there. I love the architecture, the nature, people and most of all the bittersweet memories… I always dig for something new coming from there, that can start new ideas and series for my work. Like my ongoing “Wild Lebanese Orchids” series. I feel a lot of passion working on it. It teaches me a lot about nature conservation, enriches my knowledge about the creatures of my homeland, and of course develops my views on the mediums I use. This series was supported by AUB Nature Conservation Centre.
What impact did your visit to Greece have on your life and work? We visited Greece many times, but in 1989 I went only to study the Byzantine Mosaic Technique. I wanted to learn the technique of this medium using smalti glass. Learning about this medium changed my path in art, and now gives me new opportunities to discover and to explore with wonderful materials.
In 1990 you settled in California. Did you have any difficulty in adjusting to life in the United States? Were there any cultural differences you had to learn to deal with? Moving to California was the best decision we ever made; for my husband and I and of course for our children. We lived all our lives in Lebanon where war was always our fear, and we didn’t want to have our kids live the same way. We were hungry for peaceful days and we are very blessed that we live here today. When we came, we promised ourselves we would be happy no matter how things could go around us. The amazing thing was that instead of feeling like strangers, people made us
Orchis Morio Libani
feel that we were home.
You travelled to Greece in 1989. Do you have family relations there? I love Greece, I feel that these people have so much in common with us. Yes, we have family relations there and so many souvenirs of trips from my childhood.
You have achieved great success as a mosaic artist. How did you become interested in the art of mosaic? My dad was a priest. He wished for me to be a mosaic iconographer from when I started my college years. He was the one who encouraged me to learn it, but didn’t know that I would convert this technique to use for my own fine art work, and not for religious iconography. When you write (make) a