Mohsen Rifaat BSc(arch) MSc(pl) , a long time resident of Toronto, grew up in Egypt where he was inspired by the work of his mother, Fatma Rifaat, the late celebrated Egyptian artist. He holds degrees in architecture and urban design, and has enjoyed a wide-ranging career which has taken him to many far-away places. Although he spent his professional life in the business, government and diplomatic worlds, Mohsen has never been long removed from his love of painting and sketching. He is now specialized in watercolour renderings ranging from buildings and structures to still life and landscapes. His work, which involves a variety of international subjects 
 has been displayed and sold in art galleries and exhibitions in Canada, England, France and Egypt. He now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

 

Some time ago during discussions regarding an art gallery owner in Surrey England mentioned that she was impressed by the versatility of my work and the wide ranging subjects I paint. Artists she worked with tended to be more specialized. To illustrate this I have included here examples of my favourite townscapes ,streetscapes, landscapes as well as still life and portraits.
I try to use the magic of watercolours to highlight form and hues with as little control as possible. I like my motifs and subjects to be recognizable but slightly abstract. I have recently gone back to my architectural roots and am working on hybrids of more precise drawings in loose watercolour spaces.