Speak bird, Speak again قول يا طير 

Qoul Ya Tayr, as a document of a disappearing oral tradition, is also a testimony to a lost land. In the illustrations for four different folk tales, iconic images are depicted. Some are very symbolic of Palestine like the olive tree, and others very emblematic folk tale characters like the ghouls (ogres).
In a technique that combines watercolor and ink, and using a limited palette of colors, I combined the realistic quality of ethnographic drawings with the flatness and ornamentation of classical Arabic paintings and illustrations. Some patterns and colors are inspired by Palestinian craft traditions.

Illustrations: Palestinian folk stories
Authors: Sharif Kanaana & Ibrahim Muhawi
Institute for Palestine Studies, Beirut, 2010.