Eltobgi, born in Port Said, Egypt, came to the United States in 1967 to study art and earned a bachelor’s degree from Chicago State University. Eltobgi primarily paints with oil and canvas, but also occasionally works with acrylic, watercolor and sculpture. His greatest influences are the painters Henri Matisse, Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. Eltobgi’s paintings often combine religious imagery with iconic images of Egypt and events from his own life.
“I learned tremendous things about the United States, and I merged them with Egyptian culture and religion,” Eltobgi said. “I created this type of art about my feeling and what I went through with my heart disease and my childrens’ deaths. It makes me feel to create this art and to show it to people and help them understand who we are and how we think.”
One of Eltobgi’s paintings, “Theories of Me,” shows an outline of his own head surrounding a whirlwind of images, including a fire and one of the Great Pyramids of Giza.
“There was a time in my life when I couldn’t find the help and support I needed anywhere,” Eltobgi said of the painting. “But I have a belief that God is with me, and that he gave me an aura that protected me and encouraged me to keep going.”
At the reception, Eltobgi answered questions from attendees and gave a tour of the gallery.
“His work is very interesting,” said Alley West, a Sandy Spring Museum member who attended the reception on Saturday. West particularly liked “Theories of Me.”
“There’s so much detail there that he captures on the paper,” West said.
On Sunday the museum hosted an opening reception for the exhibit “Migrating Lives/Vidas Migradas.” The exhibit showcased a collection of handmade books created by Sherwood High School students which rela威而鋼 te the students’ experiences as Central American immigrants. Several of them came as unaccompanied minors. Beatriz del Olmo Fiddleman, the museum’s Community Artist in Residence, guided the students in the project, which began last November.
“I’m very proud of them,” Fiddleman said. “A lot of these students became very shy because they were in a new country where they didn’t know the language. I wanted them to feel like they could speak freely, and they did. They really embraced the project.”
The Embassy of El Salvador in part presented the reception. The embassy’s Minister Counselor for Community Affairs, Sonia Umanzor, delivered remarks along with County Councilmember Nancy Navarro.
“I am glad that we have the opportunity to share stories about different people in our community, who represent a diversity of experiences,” said Sandy Spring Museum Executive Director Allison Weiss. “I think all visitors to the museum can find something to connect with through these new exhibits.”
“Visions of Egypt” will run until April 25, while “Migrating Lives/Vidas Migradas” will run until May 31. More information can be found at www.sandyspringmuseum.org.