More than 40 artists contributed their art and musical creations to the milestone event, including Nizar Tryewalla of Seattle. “The last couple of years have been difficult. I wanted to showcase a path towards a new beginning,” explained Nizar of his artwork. “That’s how I formulated my painting… no matter what happens, you should live in the moment.” Zaiden Tryewalla, Nizar’s six-year-old son, also contributed to the art exhibition. “We were able to connect with each other through this exhibition.” 

Mawlana Hazar Imam has said, “The arts, particularly when they are spiritually inspired, can become a medium of discourse that transcends the barriers of our day-to-day experiences and preoccupations." 

Young artists such as Aliza Makhani of Milpitas, California, expressed hope and gratitude in their artwork. She chose to paint dandelions, explaining they signify hope when one makes a wish by blowing its seed into the air. 

An exhibit entitled, Naqsh, by Jalal Gilani of Seattle presents intricate geometrical patterns ubiquitous in Islamic art and architecture. Naqsh’s continuous repetition of design symbolizes the Islamic concept of remembrance of the infinite nature of Allah.

The art exhibition allowed the audience to understand how the artists found their inspiration and how they chose to represent their ideas. The virtual exhibit elegantly mimicked important attributes of the gallery experience where viewers felt as if they were physically at the gallery, being able to explore exhibitions and compare artworks at their actual size, from any distance or angle.