![Elements of Art & Life](https://www.goriverwalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/galal-ramadan.jpg)
I was born and raised in the port city of Alexandria, Egypt. In my youth the public schools did not support art classes for young kids as art was considered a luxury, but my love of art moved me to pursue it on my own.
In 1985 I immigrated to the USA and settled in New York. There I pursued a college degree in commercial art, and worked for Hallmarks Nameplates of Farmingdale, NY. I enjoyed mixing ink for the silkscreen presses for new runs, and matching the colors to the original runs. I soon became known for doing so with great accuracy.
In 1988 I saw an opportunity to work at the largest newspaper in the Tampa Bay, FL, area. There I was a graphic artist, designing customers’ ads and newspaper layouts. While working at the newspaper I started my own graphic art and marketing business. This experience sharpened my eye for detail, but also taught me to work under extreme deadlines.
In 2015 after retirement I became a self-taught fine artist and I was inspired by the beautiful work of the members of Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA). I decided to try colored pencils and I immediately fell in love with them. It allows me to build detail and color into a photo-realistic style and to achieve practically any desired effect. Working in colored pencil relaxes and quiets my overworked brain, significantly lessens my stress, and helps me to stay focused.
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