An old telephone rested atop a beautiful cabinet while a VCR player echoed nostalgic the 90s while a pendulum clock chimed pleasantly, alerting the household of passing time. Works of several well-known artists hung upon the walls as we were greeted by Abudy. “I have always naturally considered myself a patriot who adores all things culture and heritage” she said as she sat in the backdrop of a lovingly cultivated garden.

We at Kaleo sat down with Aminath Shihana, the creative force driving the old-soul beauty of local brand, Abudy Maldives @abudymaldives on instagram

Abudy is a well-known and extremely respected name in the Maldivian art arena, whose awe-inspiring eye for detail needs no further introduction. Her commitment to beauty and intricate excellence speaks boldly in pieces such as the portrait of national hero, Corporal Hussian Adam as well as of two former Presidents. Most recently, Abudy also shared a breathtaking rendition of the 7 year old girl found shielding her brother after 17 hours under the rubble following the earthquakes in Syria in 2023.

She recalled that she has always found that she nurtured a love for intricate creativity, even since her time in school, “I used to put together my own book covers by juxtaposing vibrant pieces of paper against  my favorite color, black. This current work however is about 22 years in the making since I took the time to raise my son. Family comes first, always”.

If we trace the stepping stones of Abudy’s current inspirations, we will find ourselves in the classrooms of “Home Science” in Aminiya School, which taught useful skills such as cooking and needlework to its 6th and 7th graders back then. It was there that a young Abudy found herself fascinated with the beauty of stitching. “Those classes were wonderful in the way they put forth so many creatives”.

“I had been dabbling in paper art such as card-making and constructing gift boxes at a time when I used to attend art exhibitions. So many inspiring pieces such as punch embroidery were on display at these exhibitions. I remember promising myself at one, that I would take part in the very next exhibition and create something. When Fannu Expo 2019 was announced by the Economic Ministry in place of the National Art and Crafts Exhibition, I was determined to create a piece with thread.”

Abudy had in fact long nurtured her passion of “thread painting” which delicately uses short and long hand-stitches like brushstrokes in an oil painting, to create stunning portraits and scenery. She had already been closely following the thread painting processes of artists from all over the world on social media. “The one thing I noticed and loved about their work was that they used thread to showcase pieces centered around their nation and rich culture. So when I turned to creating a piece of my own, I wanted to emanate that. That is how I ended up doing “Rodhin Rajje” as well as the local historical monuments in thread”. “Rodhin Rajje” put Abudy on the map, as she created a beautifully detailed map of Maldives alongside showcasing several historical monuments at Fannu Expo 2019.

Speaking about her process, Abudy stressed that consistency is key. “I make sure that I do some work every day”. She also shared that it wouldn’t be uncommon to find true crime stories or profiles on Youtube playing as she works. Abudy noted how it is important to have a dedicated space for thread painting “Working for instance, at the dining table might cause accidents and you will have to start all over again”.

“I find that a lot of people wonder about how many days a piece took – as they ask at exhibitions so frequently-  and I like to mention the amount of minutes that a certain piece took in the description”

Abudy had also learned the basics of sewing on a machine very early on at the helm of Sameera Miss while her sisters dabbled in hand stitching. “I much later completed machine embroidery with Sarangu Sameema and found that I prefered the intricacy of doing hand-stitching more”. Her love for delicate handiwork had always found a home on her journey as she took basic courses of paper quilling, ribbon art as well as cross-stitching. “I always supplemented the basic information from courses with more advanced details online and followed along. It helps to truly have a passion for such things since it becomes easier to self-teach. The self-teaching process involved a lot of online research as well as not being shy about simply asking. For instance I have DM-ed some artists in different countries like Russia who work with tile pieces on instagram regarding vendors and sometimes gotten over the language barrier and gotten a response. Abudy is also very well-known for her exquisite trays that are versatile enough to complement any Baltic or Mediterranean style interior.

“The primary driving force of these art pieces is my passion for it. Selling artwork is one thing, but  I believe that you should delve into business with something you are passionate about. That is how to create pieces in an outpouring of care and love”.

As for the future, all thread painting and embroidery aficionados can rejoice. Abudy shared that she is currently working on a book encompassing most of which she has learned on her journey. “I have learned so much I wanted to do a guide for techniques such as color shading, which isn’t like typical painting where you are able to easily mix and blend colors with a brush. There is a specific technique to it in thread painting”. With her love for research, we can expect several novel techniques and tips in the book. She smiled with a matter-of-fact and noted, “Of Course it will be in Dhivehi, the book is accessible for and targeted towards Maldivians”.

“Even if starting a business isn’t the prospect of every student joining creative arts courses, one of my hopes from students that take these courses, is that they are able to take something away from the course after it is over and are able to continue what they learned, even for everyday use”

Abudy is currently working on an extremely detailed portrait piece viewed through a different lense for the exhibition The Fabulous Art Show taking place from 27th February to 8 March 2024, which aims to elevate the works of women artists in the Maldives. “It involves mirrors and cross stitching and I can’t wait to see the final version”.

As for the future, she shared that she has harbored aspirations to hold a solo exhibition for a while and that we can expect the announcement within the year. “I also hope that we are able to open up a shop that caters for artists looking for essential supplies that will help them with such work and to also be able to showcase new thread-painting decor pieces. God-willing we are able to see that in the future”. We wish this ever-rising star and master aficionado of the arts, the best of luck in all future endeavors.