Usama, who is of Lebanese descent, grew up in Jerusalem. A self-taught artist, musician, and writer, Usama pursued his passion for painting by traveling extensively in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, England, and parts of the Middle East before immigrating to the United States and settling in Chicago.

Usama’s motorcycle travels in the U.S. led him to New Mexico in 1990—a trip that would change his art forever and would become an annual pilgrimage.  “I find no harvest save that of inspiration from its mystical splendor and magical contrast of colors, and I return with those images that extend themselves through my fingertips, in vibrant color, of those enchanted places where I have buried my heart, my thoughts, and mostly my dreams.”

A prolific painter, Usama has painted landscapes, old houses, and churches of New Mexico exclusively in more than five hundred paintings, in different media, over the last eight years, and he has given more than fifteen private and public exhibitions in Chicago. Recently, Usama has curated the 2nd Annual Maple Pointe Art exhibit, of 21 artists, in Chicago, exhibiting 43 of his own paintings.

Many of Usama’s paintings are in private collections, while some of this work was shown at the Jack of All Arts gallery in Madrid, NM, Variant Gallery (now Grimshaw Gallery) in Taos, NM and the Southwest America Art Gallery in Albuquerque, NM.

Contact information

Usama Haddad

Usamaart@yahoo.com

Phone: Home: 312-266-6249    •    Salon: 312-375-8736