The Phero Story

Hi & welcome to the Pherosphere! My name is Ahmed, but you can call me Phero. I always find these intros super overwhelming, as I don't even know what to share! Not because I don't have anything to share, but maybe because I feel like I have too much to share. Who am I? How do I want to show up in this space? Okay, we can pause on the existential crisis till later. You can say it's the pisces in me! lol I feel like I have lived (and constantly still live many lives at once), a multi-dimensional human if you will.

 

So let me start from the beginning, I was born in Cairo, Egypt in the Late 80s. Moved to Toronto, Canada in the 90s. I am a true definition of a 3rd culture kid, exploring a unique balance of the arts, culture & lifestyle of my ancestral origins, and my surroundings.

 

My love for drawing and comics started at a very young age after watching Tim Burton’s Batman. I remember drawing Batman and Robin for hours as a kid, which inspired me many times, in many different ways on my journey. I am sure that is evident as you scroll through my website. Drawing was (and still is) my form of creative expression, it is what grounds me and what helps me move through life. I love all mediums of art and my own style evolved many times throughout the years. So without further ado, I am officially declaring to the universe, I am an artist. I am a digital artist. I am so present to the feeling as I type this. If you are still reading, thank you for sharing this moment with me. 

 

While visual arts may be my first love, I also love music & poetry as other mediums of self expression. I am a synesthete, meaning I can see music, feel the colours of a song or a melody. It's a real thing I swear! The harmony between these two artistries, is what inspires the colours and palettes I use in my pieces. The colours you see are moods I feel based on songs I hear. I combine the energy and feelings I absorb from music and create.

 

It is all intertwined, Comics, Music & Visual art. In 2014, I wrote, Co-Produced and drew the artwork for a Musical Comic Book called Superhero life under the alias Super Phero. Shameless plug, you can stream on Spotify and apple music. Sorry, not sorry!

 

Another major pillar on my journey is sports. While I was better at some sports more than others, I loved the competitive adrenaline that was associated with it. The rush of nerves you get when the game is close and you are part of the outcome. It taught me discipline and resilience. I found immense inspiration from some of the greats and tried to emulate them on and off the court/field. Which is why now, I choose to immortalize them with portraits.

 

I think you get the picture now….I am a creative and I love expressing myself through different mediums. Growing up I thought I had to be one thing or focus on one medium in order to call myself an artist. It was a struggle to accept my many talents and stay in creative flow. I did a lot of soul searching and came to the conclusion that I just needed to change the narrative on how I see myself and my blessings. I now love that about myself. I am an artist. I am a heartist <3

 

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”