Thursday

Young Gifted Talented: WAFA ALOBADIAT


Editor-in Chief of SKETCHBOOK. Wafa Alobadiat. A Hard-working, passionate, persistent, committed, creative individual from a beautiful island called Bahrain; who has been creatively building the Sketchbook brand, pulling people from the young creative industry to contribute to her publication.

Having admiration for people that work in her field; folks like Tracey Emin, Style Bubble, and creative directors like Tyler Brule and Jefferson Hack and Frida Kahlo, this 24 year old is living up to her creative abilities.



She is a busy creative right now launching Obai and Bash, a design agency specializing in advertising, branding, illustration. She is also busy editing the Dia Magazine which comes out every week on the dia-boutique.com website.

Deriving from a creative background in illustration, magazine editing and journalism; Wafa has a clear understanding and commitment to the creative Arts.
“My earliest memory of making art is sitting cross legged with mother in the living room cutting and pasting blocks of colored paper for a school project in the 2nd grade.”
Her mother being a very creative individual took an active role in her life, supporting what she does in the creative world. Taking her to art classes, investing in buying her materials, and even building her an art studio!
“We still frequent art galleries together and take photos and talk about things we make.”

Right now she has just released issue 2 of Sketchbook , The London Fashion Designers Issue. A few months back she organized a pop up shop for two months in Carnaby Street where her and her team held more than 100 events that include lectures by figures in the design industry, free fashion illustration workshops, and live music Sundays.




She names Cornelia’s Parker, ‘ On Cold Matter’ at the Tate Modern to be the most influential exhibition she has attended. The piece is composed of the ragged fragments of a garden shed, which was blown up by the British Army for the artist Cornelia Parker.
“I remember being blown away by the sculptural act of explosion, the lighting and the piece".




Also been blown away by Chris Offilis and Tracey Emin’s retrospective at the Tate Britain, she has attended the summer pavilions at the Serpentine Gallery for the past 6 years, her favourite one being by architect Frank Gehry.

“I remember moments with art, like when I first came face to face with a Pollock when I was 15. These are moments that stay with me forever.”
“The best thing about working in the design industry is the ability to be creative and come up with solutions to projects. I guess what’s always being debated right now is how the online world is changing the face of traditional media. So trying to find a business model that suits you is a tricky challenge.
Its great to meet amazing people at fashion weeks: Anna Wintour, Carrine Roitfeld, Rachel Zoe, Whitney Port, Olivier Zahm, Osman, Daisy and Pearl Lowe, Kelly Kutrone, Scott Shuman and Garance Dore, Hillary Alexander, Colin McDowell, Lilly Cole.”


When I ask her What is the bestest thing about what she does her cool response is...

“It’s an exciting time to network and meet people that we look up to in the industry.”



SKETCHBOOK WEBSITE http://www.sketchbookmagazine.com/



Right on! WAFA you have just been hi 5 into my YOUNG GIFTED AND TALENTED! Keep up the amazing work!

Post & piece By J.Erika

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