Born and raised in the Middle East, Mays Mahayni knew at an early age that her passion in life was Art. She moved to the United States in 1995 to pursue her dream. She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and graduated in 2004 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art and a Major in painting.
Exhibiting her work at Art in Public Places at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and several galleries in the Middle East, Mays’ artistic expression has been defined. It is shaped by her work and life experience. She was influenced by Islamic culture at an early age, and was later exposed to western art traditions through her formal Art education.
This unique multi-cultural exposure has formulated her appreciation for Art as an expression of culture.Through her interest in Islamic Art with emphasis on calligraphy, Mays thrives to advance understanding of culture by promoting better appreciation of Islamic Art. She creates works that string centuries and cultures together. Her implementation of color and technique bring a new light, a new life into modern day impression of Islamic Art.