Socially Engaged
Art Projects & Workshops

My workshops and socially engaged projects grow organically from my abstract Islamic sculpture practice.

I use art to foster human connection and spiritual contemplation, often bringing clay and materials into community spaces to guide participants in hands-on, reflective making rooted in faith and creativity.

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testimonials

Testimonials

“The joy of this workshop was the genuine love and connectedness of the sisters in the cohort. I liked the openness and the "no judging" feel of the group. We could be honest and share what needed to be shared.”

“There was an opportunity to learn, engage, connect and process information. I learned a lot and gained a deeper appreciation for the experience of the Muslim community.”

“You gave us really interesting pieces of Islamic history and beliefs, and then encouraged us to make whatever our imagination was asking us to make. It created an unexpected fusion of ideas and I really love what I made in your workshop.”

“What an engaging session, from the multi-media, from the way that Alison was able to interact so seamlessly with participants. So great, and I learned a lot.”

“Thank you for being so organized and sending us all the information we needed to make the event a success.”

“Seeing Muslim women artists being celebrated in public fills my heart with joy.”

“Giving everyone space to share, making space for healing and acknowledging that each experience was unique and valid.”

“The collectivity of creativity and having a safe, comfortable place to share. The good energy.”

“This was incredibly informative and so well-facilitated.”

collaboration

previous workshops

Projects & Workshops

2025: Thrive Center, Fairfax, VA
Inspired by one of the 99 Names of God in Islam, Al Muhyi, The Giver of Life, we explore the metaphor of planting seeds in our lives by sculpting two clay seed pods.
2025: MakeSpace, Alexandria, VA; Next Wave Muslim Initiative (NWMI), Bethesda, MD
2023: Towson University Department of Art and Design, Towson, MD
Inspired by one of the 99 Names of God in Islam, Al Haq, The Truth, we explore a personal truth or sacred value that gives your life meaning—whether it's a meaningful relationship, a challenge you've overcome, or the person you aspire to be. Using clay, participants create two small clay vessels as visual representations of these truths.
2020-2022: online retreat, exhibition & archive.
After experiencing anti-Muslim bigotry in the workplace, I sculpted 99 clay vessels representing the 99 Names of God. Those Names are spiritual anchors for me when I am being tested. I used the sculptures as the centerpiece for a socially engaged project. Over 10 workshops, I gathered Muslim women to reflect on experiences of injustice and discrimination, share stories, and explore Islamic practices of healing, empowerment, and transformation. Every woman in the project created a piece of artwork to commemorate her experience in the retreat, which is archived on the project website, 99clayvessels.com.
In 2021, As part of a multi-session engagement on campus, I offered a maker workshop where students made pinch pots with clay. I describe how and why I created the 99 clay vessels; the firing technique I used which leaves distinct, one-of-a kind fire marks. We discussed how the project amplifies perspectives that challenge two decades of power abuses against Muslims at home and abroad. We also discussed how the 99 Clay Vessels inspire us to think about our passion and purpose in life, and who we want to be as vessels in the world.
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Twenty Years Later, Private residence, Baltimore, MD
On 9/11/2021, twenty years after 9/11, sixteen Muslim women gathered to commemorate the losses of September 11th while acknowledging the exclusion and erasure of many other communities affected by that day, including Muslims. Participants contributed reflections, photographs, poems, letters, and artwork to make space for a more inclusive story about that day and its consequences.
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Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
On November 2, 2021, I led a workshop with sixteen students at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore who were taking a course on 9/11. I invited the students to explore alternative memorials that center experiences often excluded from mainstream commemorations. After an initial discussion and reflection, students worked in small groups to identify symbols and elements they wanted to include in their memorial designs. They then used Legos, building blocks, and other materials to develop their ideas, creating small-scale prototypes that represented inclusive and socially engaged approaches to remembrance. We recorded some of their creations and explanations in a short documentary, capturing the process of reflection, collaboration, and creative storytelling.
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2020: Phillips Collection, Washington, DC
In this workshop, co-facilitators Diana N’Diaye and Alison Kysia shared their evolving dialogue about art, Islam and social justice. Diana’s art practice has long included amulets, and after Alison lost a loved one, she asked Diana to help her make art to hold her powerful memories. In a world that is clearly suffering, Diana and Alison want others to make amulets as a practice of community empowerment.