Alumni & Friends
Taking risks and giving back
by MainGate Staff
Spring/Summer 2020
Noura Ali-Ramahi
Born in Lebanon in 1976 and grew up there (1976)
Moved to Dubai (1989)
Graduated from AUB (1997)
Hosted her first exhibition: A Picture and a Thousand Words (2016)
Built her own studio (2016)
Noura’s work can be seen on Instagram@nouraramahi (See also Published & Produced ART in this issue of MainGate.
When did you first get interested in art?
I have always dabbled in art and loved handicrafts as a child.
Did you take art classes at AUB?
No. In fact, I have never studied art. I think that’s a good thing, actually, and has been very liberating for me.
I studied business at AUB—like my two sisters, who are also AUB alumnae. I wanted a degree that would help me get a job. I did well academically, but I also made time for other things: I sang in the choir—I loved that—and played a lot of tennis. In fact, my closest friends at AUB were the people I got to know through tennis.
What prompted you to organize your first art exhibit?
I went to an exhibit here in the UAE with my sister in 2015. I found out then that it was possible to book the space and organize your own exhibit. I booked a date six months into the future—figuring that would give me enough time. My first exhibit (A Picture and a Thousand Words) was truly a family affair—my mother, who is also an artist, helped me. The art was inspired by my sister’s poetry. I was amazed at the reaction I received. It proved to me that this was something I could do.
How do you manage to find time to do everything you do?
I have an amazing husband and family, and a very supportive employer, a government organization in Abu Dhabi, where I am a learning and development manager.
Do you have special memories of AUB?
I have so many memories. I loved every minute of being there. My family moved from Lebanon to the UAE in 1989—I was attending ACS at the time. There was never any doubt though that I and my sisters would return to Lebanon to attend AUB.
I loved the campus and the views of the Mediterranean, the history, the concerts on the Green Oval, events in Assembly Hall—all of it. I had some great professors—people like Professor Samir Seikaly, who taught history, and Professor Rita Geutcherian, who taught statistics. One of the things I am most proud of is the 100—a perfect score—that I got on a statistics exam!
What are you working on now?
I am finishing up a project with my youngest daughter, which we are calling “La La Land.” It’s a series of abstract landscape drawings. We were planning to organize an exhibit in June in part to raise money for AUB students. I am trying to figure out now how to perhaps make this a virtual event.
You have often donated the proceeds from the art you sell to charities.
That has always been important to me. Part of what inspires my art is wanting to set an example for my four children. I want them not just to take risks to do what they love, but also to give back. We can all give back.