Biography

I am a Syrian American artist based in Orlando, Florida. I hold a BA from Montclair State University and an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. My dreamscape compositions explore art-historical and cultural patterns, weaving elements of consumerism into immersive environments of fluid forms and saturated color.

Guided by experimentation and intuition, my practice celebrates storytelling and abstraction through the accumulation and adaptation of shapes and colors. My vivid, flat, figurative abstractions—created with sustainable materials—are suited for medium to large paintings and murals. Balancing patterns, lines, and colors, my work engages in a global artistic dialogue while maintaining a distinct personal voice.

My art has been featured in public art programs and exhibited nationally, including at the Middle East Institute Art Museum (D.C.), Rowan University Art Museum, Montclair and Morris Art Museums (NJ), Miami Museum of Art + Design, Nova Southeastern University Art Museum (NSU Florida), and the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Americas (Miami). In 2021, the Art in Embassies program selected my work for display at the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and the United Nations Headquarters in New York. I have received multiple arts and culture awards and grants, and my work has been featured in national and international media.

Khawam has recently received awards and grants, including:
– “Arab Pop Art” at the Middle East Institute, Washington, D.C. (2025)
– “Artist as Activist” at Rowan University Museum, the New Jersey Council on the Arts (2025)
– “Artist Cultural Project” from the Miami-Dade Cultural Division (2023)
– “Creative Investment Program” from the Broward County Cultural Division, Florida (2020-2023)
– “American Rescue Cultural Grant” from the National Endowment for the Arts through the Florida Division of Arts & Culture (2021)
– “Individual Artist Specific Cultural Project” from the Florida Division of Arts & Culture (2021/2023)

Additionally, Khawam has participated in various workshops, including:
– “Artist as an Entrepreneur Institute” by the Broward County Cultural Division (2019)
– Various programs by Americans for the Arts (2019)
– “Artists at the Community Development Table”, the New Jersey Council on the Arts (2024)

Khawam’s work has been featured in a range of international media outlets, including:
– Advanced Local Media, NJ.com (June 2025)
– Wissenschaft und Frieden (W&F) German Magazine (May 2025)
– Canvas Rebels Magazine (January 2025)
– Vicinity Magazine NJ (February 2025)
– Sky News Arabia (September 2022)
– Lifestyle Media Group, Palm Beach Illustrated, and Aventura Magazine, FL (October 2022)
– Boca Raton Magazine, FL (October 2020)
– Miami Shoutout Magazine (June, 2020)
– WLRN Public Media, Miami PBS-NPR (October 2020)
– Raseef 22 Magazine, Beirut Media (October 2020)
– Brooklyn Reporter News, NY (October 2019)
– Voyage Miami Magazine (January 2018)
– NJ Savvy Living Magazine, NJ (May 2000)
– The New York Times, NY (July 1998)

This summary highlights Khawam’s accomplishments and presence in the art community more clearly.

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Testimonials – View More

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To Inquire About My Art, or Have a Question

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