View Thurayya's Full Gallery   

It is my goal to always create. I love to take images and transform them to create something that communicates on a whole other level.

Thurayya Hernandez, is a Palestinian American born in Damascus Syria. She spent her early childhood years in Iraq during the Iran/Iraq War. At a young age, she learned from her parents about questioning the status quo. Amidst all the conflict and uncertainty, she found solace and comfort in drawing and sketching.
She moved to America with her family in the early 80?s. Confronted by culture shock and exclusion, once again she turned to art as a source of self empowerment. It was a constant that allowed her to control and change her world. Molding it into whatever she desired. Her love for art led her to seek out a career in design and she received a bachelors degree at Cal State LA.
In the early 90?s, she became an instructor at the Mission Renaissance Fine Art Academy. There, she enjoyed passing her love of art to children, and giving them a tool to help them find there own voice. In addition to teaching, she painted several residential murals and sold her artwork both within the US and internationally.
After the birth of her second child, she stopped teaching and pursued a career in the design industry. She took on a challenging design position at Susie Coelho Enterprises, a leading lifestyle industry, where she quickly began to master graphic design.
The digital world was a revelation to this busy working mother and provided her with a tool that allowed her once again to create and mold a new world from anything she wanted.
She recently started a digital photography workshop called Urban Ink at KYCC, a well known urban youth center in Los Angeles. There she taught troubled city youth how to find the beauty in everyday life, and how to use computer technology to alter their photos and create their own personal statements.
Today, she continues to use art to challenge the world being presented to her, and is constantly seeking out the beauty and poetry of the everyday, depicting it with a new and heightened appreciation.

Susie Coelho Enterprises
-graphic designer using Adobe Photoshop to design promo & marketing materials
-prop, food, household and floral stylist
-writer for promotional materials and styling tips
-worked as office assistant for 1 yr.
(ongoing contracted position since 2005)

Dr.Deborah Hill-Shielders
-illustrator, painter (current book project)

Event Photographer
-wedding digital photographer for wedding (May'07)

Koreatown Youth & Community Center, Inc.
-creator/coordinator of after school program: teaching students creative photography and alte
ring images on Paint Shop (April?07)
-Logo Designer for Multi-ethnic Youth and Leadership Program (2006)

Muralist
-business and residential murals (2000 to present)

Mission Renaissance Art Classes
-4 yrs. as administrative director of fine art programs for children. Utilizing traditional drawing and painting techniques and instruction in all types of media including oils, watercolors and charcoals. (1999-2004)