What is the best thing that I love about my work?

For me it’s that it lets me express what I call the “nothingness between the lines” those quiet, invisible feelings and thoughts that are hard to put into words, or better for me to put into color, I give it a form where others can find their own meaning, sometimes exactly what I felt when I made it, and sometimes something completely different that still feels just as true.

What is my idea of happiness?

My idea of happiness has changed a lot. Now it’s all about waking up with something to live for, knowing and feeling that I’m still alive and today is a new journey, whatever it brings, and sleeping with something I’m grateful for wanting to wake up tomorrow. If I have it I’m good.

What is my greatest fear?

Wasting my life because I was afraid to change, change is uncomfortable, but staying stuck is worse. And sometimes I worry that I’ll look back and realize I let it win.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

Overanalyzing everything, coming from insisting on how to do things perfectly. It used to be a way to protect yourself to avoid mistakes, but now it has become a cage. It steals time and happiness.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire?

I deeply admire Ella Baudinet. Her huge, ethereal paintings feel like portals, part dreamy abstraction, part Baroque realism, all emotional depth. It feels like something you’ve lived before.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

I’ve been into creating work that feels open, no sharp lines, loose forms, things that feel natural and not too controlled. But my perfectionism still gets in the way, I clean things up, smooth them out too much. I end up working backwards, trying to undo the polish, to make the image feel open again.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

It was actually right after I recovered from an eye infection. I had this piece I started before I got sick, very much my “usual” kind of work, when I came back to work on it weeks later, I saw it and felt that it feels boring, I was bored from the weeks I spend doing nothing just sitting in the dark taking meds all day, I wanted to go crazy with it, have fun. That piece now is one of the closest pieces to my heart.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

I don’t really know why I’m like that, but I feel people’s pain as if it’s mine. You hit your leg, and my whole body reacts, like my body doesn’t know it’s not happening to me, It’s not just people I know, even movies, strangers, It’s really exhausting sometimes.

What is my greatest achievement in work?

When I didn’t give up after I had to stop traditional painting because of health issues. At the time, I honestly thought my creative life was over. But I sat down, accepted the only chance I had, learning new mediums. I didn’t find myself at first, but I kept going. That moment taught me I could adapt without losing my voice.

Where would I most like to live?

I want to live in a place where the mountains and the sea merge together, I love the feeling of being so small belonging to something too big like the nature, I can imagine the cool mornings, the soft light, the fresh air!

What is my most treasured possession?

To be honest, it’s my creative ability. Everything, including the mental, emotional, and physical ability. I don’t take it for granted 

What is my most marked characteristic?

I’m probably best known for being a bit dramatic in an artistic way, It’s more like… I’ll sit in silence for two hours thinking about the way a color made me feel. Or stare at a painting like it just told me a secret. That kind of drama!

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

In Alexandria, is the fishermen’s port next to Qaitbay Citadel. The peaceful water, colors of the boats, ropes, smell of the sea, it’s like time slows down

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city?

I’m not a fan of fancy places. They definitely have their moment, but I like little, unexpected places where the food tastes like someone’s home. Drinking something nice is important for me too.

What books influenced my life and how?

I started reading really young, I used to read everything, books, magazines, newspapers, I think it’s a big part of why I see things the way I do now. It trained me to pay attention, to connect dots, They made me look at life sideways, like art does.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day?

I’d play Vitali’s Chaconne. That’s the one. It aches the way life does. It rises, it falls, it holds you. There’s something in it that feels like surrender and longing at the same time. It’s heavy and beautiful. Like the sound of a soul packing its bags, and here’s a secret, my favorite version is the one for violin and organ.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

Nina from The Black Swan, because she represent the fine line between insanity and perfection. Her obsession and self-discovery is like seeing art born from pain, how deep passion can create or destroy.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

Those who went through pain and trauma, but choose healing, move forward, love and care, not to continue the cycle.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime?

12 Angry Men, It’s a masterclass in human nature and justice. It shows how our personal biases cloud truth and how courage to question can change everything.

What role play stories in my life and work?

My life and work are the shaped of stories. Stories that include more than incidents or facts; They also include the spaces between emotions, hidden meanings and spoken and unspoken words.

My story is the beginning of my work, but it’s not the end.  I give my work space so the viewers can see their story, I don’t want them to get my story. I want them to feel theirs.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me?

It means I get to choose the meaning of my story and what I do with it.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

Depends on the day. Sometimes it is me, other times there is a sports coach in my head, and sometimes there is a playlist, my secret weapon!

Which people or companies would I like to work with?

I want to work with people and teams that think beyond the visuals. I’m drawn to multi -sensory experiences, where art is not just something you see, but something you walk into. I imagine there is sound in the ears, the scent in the air, texture around you, lighting. I want to create with those who understand that feeling is more important than form, and am curious to turning art into an environment.

What project am I looking forward to work on?

Right now I’m in this stage, where I want to merge my 3D skills with my painting. I have painted for many years, and diving in 3D opened a new toolbox. I don’t know yet the final form of it, still in experiment, but I know It’s gonna change the way I create

Where can you see me or my work?

You can see my work on my website:   www.dahliahosny.com

I also share on Instagram @dahliahosnyyy   https://www.instagram.com/dahliahosnyyy/

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

It means that passion isn’t tied to age or career. It doesn’t clock out. Means that this part doesn’t go quiet.

Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story?

The kind of women who carry a whole storm inside them, and still find a way to make it into a sunrise. The ones whose stories live in silence just as much as in color and sound.

How can you contact me?

You can reach me at: dahlia@dahliahosny.com