Shafaq Ahmad was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. After Ahmad left Pakistan she lived in the United Kingdom, Iran and Denmark before settling down in the United States. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia in 1991 and a Master of Fine Art degree from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas in 2011. She has travelled around the globe to many countries in Asia, Europe and North America. Ahmad worked as an art glass designer from 1995 to 2003 and collaborated with several art glass studios in Czech Republic and Sweden. She also designed art glass for Barovier and Toso Czech Republic till 2003 for 8 years. Her art glass designs are in private collections in many countries. Presently, she works as a multimedia artist. She employs painting, 3D, digital media, print making, mixed media and onsite installations. Ahmad has participated in many solo and over 80 group exhibitions in the USA, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Czech Republic, Germany, Israel, Italy, China and United Arab Emirates. Her work is a part of permanent collections at the Sharjah Department of Art and Culture in the United Arab Emirates, Museum of Geometric and Madi Art in Dallas, Texas, Mercedes Benz Daimler Financial, Corporate Headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas and other institutions. Ahmad’s work has been published in Art Voices magazine, Studio Visit magazine, Islamic Arts Magazine, Emel magazine, Art Now Pakistan Dallas Art Review, Star Telegram, Libas Magazine, Valassko, Vlastivedna Revue, VAIA, bont VOOR BINNEN, and Ceramic & Glass, among other publications.
The act of creating serves as contemplative process through which I attempt to show the connection of the universal consciousness of all living beings. I focus and am absorbed in the meditative act of painting, print making, and other forms of art making. The experience of being embraced by the universal spirit is expressed through luminosity of color and light, movement through gesture, richness through layering of color, and depth through intertwining mark making. The element of geometric shapes coming through manifests beauty through balance and harmony. The calligraphic mark with a sense of forever being repeated represents the infinite consciousness. The movement and the energy of the calligraphic marks show the constant state of flux of each thing. The words come from Zikr or rememberance.