March, 2026
Artist of the Month

Born in Alexandria, Egypt, my artistic journey began alongside my medical education. While navigating the rigors of medical school, I refined my craft through the independent fine art study program at the University of Alexandria Atelier. This dual path culminated in my early solo exhibitions at the University Physician’s Club (1973) and the French Cultural Center in Alexandria (1975).

Following my move to the United States in the 1980s, I completed my psychiatric training at the University of California. My decades of practice as a psychiatrist in the Bay Area profoundly influenced my perspective as a painter, offering me a deep, clinical, and empathetic understanding of the human condition.

Now dedicated exclusively to my studio practice in Southern California, I work primarily in acrylics and oils, producing a prolific body of work each year. My style remains rooted in Middle Eastern and South Mediterranean influences, often focusing on figures navigating the complexities of daily life. These subjects are “captives of time”—exploring the tension between instinct and the search for existential meaning.

Ultimately, I invite the viewer to look beyond the canvas and allow the images to reveal their own silent stories.

—Nagui Achamallah

website: theartofnagui.com
instagram: theartofnagui