Some memories stay with us because they are tied to places. Others remain because of the people who shaped the way we see the world.

For artist Nargis Naqvi, those memories are inseparable from the women she has witnessed throughout her life. Born in Ireland, Naqvi spent her childhood in Saudi Arabia, with periods living in Pakistan and the UAE before moving to the United States and eventually settling in Canada. She began painting at the age of four, discovering early that colour and texture can express feelings.

The paintings in Women of the World draw from decades of observation and lived experience. “Every time I think of an emotion that I really need to express on canvas, I think about the women I've encountered in different countries,” she says.

Her works show women collecting water from wells, preparing meals for extended families, leaving familiar homes behind, and shouldering responsibilities that often go unseen.

Using textures and bold colors, she creates paintings that explore heritage, resilience, identity, and hope. In one painting, a woman looks towards the Kaaba, holding on to a place that still feels like home. In another, a woman draped in blue is surrounded by the bustling bazaars of South Asia and the Middle East, hinting at lives, traditions and stories carried across generations.

Her experiences have also influenced her decision to support Muslim Hands' Livelihood Program, which helps women build sustainable incomes and support their families. For Naqvi, support extends beyond meeting immediate needs. She believes lasting change comes from creating opportunities that allow women to build stable futures for themselves and their families.

"It goes back to that saying, give a man a fish or teach him how to fish and you'll feed him forever,” she says. “We can keep donating food... or we can teach them something that creates lasting change."

Donating sewing machines and hope shops are some of the ways you can support women in need.

Among the works in this collection, one painting holds personal meaning.

“As She Leaves is very much connected to how I feel. It’s about a woman who is looking back at her home even though she has left it. It’s what women have to do sometimes."

For Naqvi, collecting art begins with a personal connection rather than an investment. "People need to understand that art is a collector's item…it does increase in value but at the same time it has to be coming from a place of connection – you have to love it enough to pass it down to generations.”

She hopes the same sense of purpose guides those investing in her work. “I want them to buy with the intention of giving to Muslim Hands," she says.

The Auction
Women of the World is an exclusive online auction starting Friday, July 24, featuring nine mixed media paintings by Naqvi.

Learn more: Women of the World: An Art Collection of Women, Resilience & Culture

Every sold painting will support Muslim Hands' Livelihoods Program, helping women across Africa build sustainable incomes and provide for their families. Through vocational training, small business support, farming initiatives, and other income-generating opportunities, the program supports women with skills that foster long-term financial independence.

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