Abstract painting with bold streaks of pink, red, green, and black on a dark background.

Transcendent Vision:

Abstract Art as a Spiritual Journey of History, Culture and Politics

By Sumrien Ali

Wicked Willow Wicked Willow

Artist Favourite

Wicked Willow

Visceral exploration of wild beauty and untamed emotion, expressive layers.  The artwork channels the chaotic grace of a willow tree caught in a storm—lush greens twist and clash with streaks of magenta, lavender, and golden yellow. These colors pulse and bleed into one another, evoking the sensation of nature in flux.

Orignal Art

Own a one of kind painting

Splitting the Sea Splitting the Sea
Splitting the Sea
$500.00
Hunza Hunza
Hunza
$525.00
1962 Toronto | Urban Jungle 1962 Toronto | Urban Jungle
1962 Toronto | Urban Jungle
$900.00
Midnight in Tokyo Midnight in Tokyo
Midnight in Tokyo
$175.00
The Red Door to Barzakh The Red Door to Barzakh
The Red Door to Barzakh
$5,000.00
Floating Lillies Floating Lillies
Floating Lillies
$650.00

The Artist

Sumrien Ali’s paintings invite viewers to step outside themselves and see the world through her lens - one shaped by emotion, curiosity, and discovery.  By combining dynamic color combinations, layers, and texture, Sumrien strives to create movement and to explore the journey of discovery, life, and depth. Her art is a bold expression of emotion, energy, and intuition. She works primarily with bold pigments and a palette knife, building textures, layers of movement that are meant to be felt as much as seen. The vibrancy in her work is intentional: it challenges quiet, passive spaces; it dares the viewer to engage in a dialogue emotionally charged with complexities and contradictions.  In latest work, her art has strong focus on transcending history, politics and culture in a new perspective. 

Born in Karachi, Pakistan, raised in Poughkeepsie, NY, and currently residing in Washington, DC.   Her bicultural background fuels her art, embracing east and west culture. Sumrien Ali is a practicing architect and designer. Sumrien sees architecture as an art and a science. It is the act of taking the abstract and building a reality. Art, on the other hand, starts with reality and builds an abstract representation of it. She is drawn to producing abstract works because of the creative freedom they allow: They have no boundaries, rules, or regulations as with architecture, but support limitless emotions and possibilities.

A young woman with shoulder-length hair smiling, standing between two brick walls, holding onto each wall with her hands, in an art studio with graffiti and paintings in the background.

  • On Work

    “I've watched Sumrien grow as an artist over the years and it has been amazing to see her style evolve. I bought one of her early pieces…her bold colors of color and confident technique stood out. Her work reflects a perspective that's entirely her own - honest, vibrant, and deeply engaging. Her piece always draw me in and make me pause for a moment, just to take it all in.”

    Maleeha Latif

  • Healing Workshop

    “Taking Sumrien's Workshop was really healing for me. I have always found art intimidating, but Sumrien creates an atmosphere where art is approachable and you can let your creativity flow. She is great at giving you suggestions and helpful tips without making you feel judged. I think both seasoned artists and beginners would enjoy her workshop alike. Highly Recommend!”

    Carey C.

  • As a Lecturer

    "Sumrien Ali's talk at Gettysburg College was electrifying and inspiring for students and faculty alike. Her paintings, stories, and reflections on processes of creativity at this moment in the world illuminated themes across disciplines--history, philosophy, religion, art, history, and more. Her visit was a tremendous success and students are already asking when she will return."

    Dr. Megan Adamson Sijapati
    Professor of philosy & Religious Studies
    Gettysburg College

  • As a Patron

    “I have two pieces from Sumrien. One is a painting of Greek Isles and the other is of Karachi, (From the my Father's Journey Collection). I admire Sumrien's attention to detail and use of vibrant colors.”

    Mahwish Hamlani

  • Healing Workshop

    "Sumrien is a skilled artist and a natural-born teacher. She has a cabinet-maker's eye for detail and she has a psychiatrist's eye for her students' body language and mood. Sumrien's patience helps the most apprehensive student place his very first mark on the blank canvas. She's humble, but doesn't need to be. I loved learning from her and painting with her, and I can't wait to do it again!"

    Jason Soiffer