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Samir Mohamed Khurshid is thirty-three years old and has been in the U.S. barely two months. After fleeing to Turkey from a hostile Iraq five years ago to apply for refugee status, Samir finally acquired the status at the end of 2010 and made the journey to his new home in Portland. Over 150 Iraqi refugees came through IRCO in 2010. Each has their own story and their own gifts to offer our community. Samir’s story? He is a painter. He has been since age four when his parents started noticing a unique talent in him. He has spent his life following his passion and gift and through that done a wide range of work. From working with U.S. army officers painting portraits of their families back home to subway stations in Turkey, Samir’s portfolio is vast.
Today in Portland Oregon, knowing hardly any English, without a family and without a job yet, Samir’s hopes are still strong. “Baby steps” he calls them “let this be the first step to my dreams”. His goals for the future are similar to many aspiring artists: enroll in a local Arts College, sell his work, open a gallery eventually. But for now: it’s just to paint. Samir is on the newly-arrived refugee stipend that covers just the necessities; nothing is left over for art supplies. To express himself he ends up using the ends of pencils to sketch in his notebook, or his thumbnail to etch-out designs. Through a translator he explains “I just have so many thoughts, so much to say but I cannot say it. I want to show it through my art; I must show the world what is on my heart, what I have seen”.
Despite a caseload that has gone from around 40 families to around 80 due to recent budget cuts, Samir’s Case Manager at IRCO, Ahmed Abimohamed, has found some time to advocate for his talented client. He is sure that once the Portland community hears about Samir’s talent and need people will step in to help. Paint, canvas, brushes and a space to create his art are all on Samir’s wish list. We hope this article can be the “baby step” to begin to help Samir get those items that will let him express himself in his new homeland.
See this link for more of Samir’s pieces.
See this link for the Oregonian article on Samir and the follow up article here.
Tags: Client | Iraq | IRCO | naes | news | Painter | Samir Kurshid
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"I Just Want to Paint..."