Sylvia Safiya Godlas

Sylvia Safiya Godlas is an artist and teacher who specializes in traditional Islamic art. She is the author of "Doorways to Islamic Art." Among the countries to which she has traveled are: Egypt, Morocco, Spain, Israel, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Iran,
Syria and Saudi Arabia. She is the president of the International Muslimah Artists Network (IMAN) and helped establish its founding principles in 1997.
She began working in ceramics in 1976 producing and selling sculptural works and pottery, and has exhibited her work throughout the US since 1977. She maintains a ceramics studio and produces Islamic style ceramics for show and sale. She has studied with traditional and contemporary masters (of pottery, calligraphy, and traditional painting of Central Asia) both in and outside of the US. Her work was included in the 1998 Liturgical and Sacred Art exhibition, produced by the Springfield Art Association in Illinois.
She was a member of the design team that designed the ornamentation for the 1990 addition of twenty-seven domes to the Prophet's Mosque in Madina. She was the supervisor for the production of the carvings for the prototype dome.
She has given lecture-demonstrations on Islamic art at universities and museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, J.B. Speed Museum, The Walters Art Gallery, De Paul University, and the University of Georgia. She conducts workshops - for across the curriculum teaching of history and art - for AWAIR (Arab World and Islamic Resources) seminars
on Islam.
In 1998-99 she developed a special art program called Global Arts and Skills which introduces the fundamentals of world geometric and pattern art through the medium of textile painting. She currently teaches her Global Arts program at the Northeast Georgia Mental Health Center to people with psycho-social challenges.
Her ongoing work includes the development of new programs both for teaching specifically about Islamic art and culture, and also for teaching a broad-based program on geometric and pattern art from around the world.

Workshops for Teachers:

1997 - at the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference,Wash., D.C.
1996 - at the National Art Education Assoc. conference (NAEA), San Fran, CA.
1996 - at the Natnl Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conference, Chicago, IL
1995 - at the National Art Education Association (NAEA)conference, Wash, D.C.
1995 - at the University of Georgia, arranged by the UGA Department of Humanities and Arts for local middle and high school teachers; an Arab World And Islamic Resources (AWAIR) teachers' seminar
1994 - A National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) sponsored program for secondary school teachers (on the Arab world), in Abiquiu, New Mexico,at Dar al-Islam conference center 1994 - at North Georgia College, slide presentation
and demonstration for high school art teachers Art Classes and Seminars for Students or Mixed Audiences:
1998-99 - Global Arts and Skills program - Northeast Georgia Mental Health/Behavioral Disabilities Center.
1999 - (also 1998, and 1996)- week-long seminars held at "Ghost Ranch" - a Presbyterian sponsored conference center which is the former home of  Georgia O'Keefe - in Abiquiu, New Mexico.
1997 - 1998 - the University of Georgia, Religion Department 1998 - The Georgia Museum of Art, Family Day, (Athens)
for their "Art of Central Asia" exhibition; a hands-on art activity for the public 1998 - two Seniors Centers in Athens (Holt Street and Lanier Gardens) 1998 - the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens 1995 - the Athens public library; art program for a
mixed public audience
1992 - 1993 - Guest teacher at middle schools in Greene County and Oconee County on invitation from teachers there

Combined Presentations/Exhibitions or Projects:

1998 - The Liturgical Arts Festival, Springfield Art Association, Springfield,Illinois
1998 - The Brunswick Public Library, Brunswick, Georgia, a lecture/demonstration
1996 - Hofstra University, in their "Inscription as Art" exhibition, ceramics shown
1995 - De Paul University, (Chicago)a lecture/demonstration, and ceramics shown in a two-person show
1994 - J. B. Speed Museum, (Louisville) for their "Interfaith Dialogue"seminar,a lecture/demonstration, and ceramics shown
1993 - The University of Colorado, "Where Art, Math and Science Meet," a mounted educational exhibition with ceramics shown
1992 - The Metropolitan Museum of Art,(New York) for their "Al-Andalus" exhibition, a lecture/demonstration, a mounted educational exhibit, and ceramics shown
1991 - The Walter's Art Gallery, Baltimore, MD - for their "Treasures from Kuwait" exhibition, a lecture/demonstration with ceramics shown
1992 - The University of Georgia, "Where Art, Math and Science Meet," a mounted educational exhibition with ceramics shown

Ceramics Shown at Galleries, Exhibitions and Juried Fairs:

1998 - Springfield Art Association, for their "Liturgical Arts Festival," Springfield, IL
1996 - The Georgia Center, for the National League of American Pen Women art show
1993 - 1998 - La Galeria Arriba, Abiquiu, New Mexico
1992 - The Lyndon House Art Center, Athens, GA, for the "Crafts 92"
1991 - 1992 - Wild Rabbit Pottery, Athens, GA
1988 - 1990 - Albany Arts Gallery, Albany, CA
1986 - 1988 - Shambala Gallery, Berkeley, CA
1987 - Open Secret, San Rafael, CA
1986 - Mandala Gallery, San Rafael, CA
1985 - 1988 - Adame Ceramics Gallery, Albany, CA(while living in Zamaalek,Cairo)
1980 - 1982 - Center Street Gallery, Santa Cruz, CA
1979 - The Artisans Gallery, a two-person show, Great Neck, Long Island NY
1979 - The Craftsman's Gallery, "National Invitational Exhibition of Salt-Glazed Ceramics" in Scarsdale, NY
1979 - The Works Gallery, Southampton, Long Island, NY
1979 - Gallimauphry, White Plains, NY
1979 - Tod and Tilbert, Princeton, NY
1978 - Gallery on the Park, Washington, D.C. gallery
1978 - Nostalgia Etc., Baltimore gallery
1978 - The Walnuts Gallery, "Best of Wintermarket" show, Philadelphia, PA
1977 - Wintermarket, Baltimore, MD - an ACC show
1977 - The Strong Gallery, "The Best of Rhinebeck" show, Bar Harbor, Maine
1977 - Northeast Craft Show, Rhinebeck, New York, an American Crafts Council (ACC) show