Full Circle
Full Circle is a photographic essay that depicts two approaches: tableaux images meant to reflect the historical stages of femininity into womanhood and traditional portraits of "independent" mothers and their arduous journey of raising children.

Full Circle is a series that provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of many mothers raising their children alone under various circumstances. It tells stories of success, hope, struggle, and triumphs. This dual visual exploration simultaneously explores the female image through history and is meant to empower and celebrate our societal roles and unconditional relationships with our children. Our beauty reflects one another; a circle of shared experiences, wisdom, and nurturing.

The pink hues throughout the staged images in the series psychologically represent hope, concurrently suggesting its given associations with softness and femininity, yet in each portrait lies a unified overtone of strength & courage. Finally, using evocative titles such as "Pregnant w/ Pink Slippers" and "Cotton Candy" asks us to contemplate labels assigned to women and ideas around girlhood while also making historical references to beauty and female depictions in art and society.

The female journey is symbolic of evolution and a unified transcendent struggle. From the birthing canal, through puberty, into womanhood, and finally, the matriarch, each creating the platform for the subsequent ascension. In many cultures, the female journey toward liberation has been a slow and steady progression in which she arrives at her Full Circle after much growth and struggle. The inspiration for Full Circle was created from an earlier body of work, "In Pink" , which examined the relationship between women, self-identity, and sensuality. My lens and ideas on this topic were that of a much more timid young Muslim woman daring to challenge sensuality and provocative dress in a religion that generally prefers to smother these topics. The project was literally put on hold due to my commitments to motherhood. Years later, through a progressive lens, I celebrate the female journey and Circle of motherhood with conviction.