“I approach each painting in the spirit of the moment, building layer upon layer, finding the perfect balance between form, content, tradition and abstraction. Being influenced by Post-Impressionist painters, my work has an emphasis on light, color and texture. I also use my immediate surroundings as my muse. Painting familiar subjects makes it easier to loosen up. The process becomes less about rendering and more about expressing life.” Halima was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Since she was a child, she always loved to paint. Her grandmother would give her lessons on the weekends and at the age of eight, she did her first oil painting. Her love of painting later led her to complete a B.A in Visual Arts and Art History from Occidental College in Los Angeles and an M.F.A from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. In 2006, Halima moved cross-country to Atlanta, GA and began her art career. A year later, her colourful and textural paintings were being collected from all over the US and she had caught the eye of several galleries in the Atlanta area. Halima also has a passion for teaching art and began hosting popular workshops and classes at various art centres. It was in Atlanta where Halima met her British-born husband. In September 2011, they relocated to his hometown of Colchester, England. She still teaches from time to time, and can be found painting in her home studio in Great Cornard, Suffolk.