HER works breathe love, happiness, calm and comfort. There's something ancient and modern, as well as spiritual, about them. The fact that she's a woman accounts for her very special, feminine style. She is Wehad Samir, Professor of Jewellery at the Higher Institute of Applied Arts, whose works are being exhibited at the Russian Cultural Centre in Giza. The daring colours of her works; reds, yellows, blues and greens, are what make her very special in this field. "My colours and therefore my works too are cheerful," Wehad told The Egyptian Gazette in an interview. In her exhibition, she tries to be different and in fact she has succeeded; she uses many different styles, which means that there's something for everyone. Her works are all one-offs; women love her exhibitions, because they feel so special when buying a rare piece that no-one else will ever wear. "As you know, all my works are handmade. I make them myself and no-one helps me. I create and make them. That's why all my works are original," said Wehad, who has a Master's in jewellery design. Her works are all made of silver and precious stones. As well as necklaces, Wehad is very talented in making elegant women's bags out of copper. "God gave me an imagination. I'm very proud of that gift. I'm very contemplative. When I'm travelling through the desert, I contemplate the stones and try to imagine how I can use them to make new works," she added. Wahed likes making big pieces of jewellery. "I like wearing big jewellery, which is why you'll find a lot of it in my exhibition, but also I've also made some small ones for women who don't like big things." For the first time, Wehad is exhibiting jewellery for men, buttons and pins. This, her spring/summer 2010 exhibition, contains 200 items of jewellery. Wahed is interested in the psychology of the people who will wear it. "When you know someone, it's easy to create something that they'll like," she explains. Wehad is also known for creating strange earrings. "Every pair of earrings I make is special and different," she stresses. The talented jewellery designer has given many lectures in Egyptian universities, about recycling the old things in our homes, making them into new things. "I've also run workshops for girls about this," she adds. This is her seventy-ninth exhibition, here and in many other countries. Wehad has also won many awards. Wehad Samir's exhibition, being held at the Russian Cultural Centre, 127 Al- Tahrir St., Doqqi (02-3337-0577), runs until Sunday.
