Hello! I'm Amber "Umber" Ghory, the creator of OOLLOOnest, & I live just outside Boston with my husband and our two kitties.

 

My fascination with color and space stems from my childhood in Karachi, Pakistan and Dammam, Saudi Arabia, which I remember as being full of wonder and creativity, and eventually led me to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture and a Bachelor of Interior Architecture degree from Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI. While practicing interior design, I continued to engage in my art, and started creating paintings for the Boston Children’s Hospital along with various other institutions in the New England area. This sparked an ongoing love for creating art for children which evoked the same delight I felt as a child left to my vivid imagination. It brings me immense joy to see my art in places where it can be loved by others, especially children.

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I discovered felting some years ago, and lately enjoy creating mini needle-felted sculptures, mostly animals, that make their way into the homes and hearts of adults and children alike. I like to use my art to raise awareness for animals especially endangered ones. I am also exploring developing patterns which allow me to explore combining color and playful forms. 

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What is OOLLOOnest?

 

In Western culture, the owl is an all-knowing, mysteriously silent observer, a majestic being radiating with wisdom and intelligence. While in Pakistani culture, the oolloo, as it is referred to in Urdu, is seen as foolish and comical. I like the oolloo because its silliness makes it not so perfect, and relatable. There is a certain lightheartedness and humor associated with the oolloo that allows you to let your guard down. In Urdu, “to make an oolloo of” someone is to mess with someone and make a fool of them, which, for some, could have a negative connotation, but I have usually heard the term oolloo in reference to another person, with a certain lightheartedness. I don’t take myself too seriously and I feel that we all need some humor and something to laugh about in our everyday life. For me “wise like an owl, but foolish like an oolloo” embodies the best of both worlds.

 

Most of my felted sculptures were commissioned pieces and were made to order. If you see something you like, I’d be more than happy to recreate it for you. If you have other ideas you want to explore with me, I’d be more than happy to discuss! Just fill out the contact form with as much information you can provide about the potential project and I will be in touch shortly.