<p>Karimah Hassan<strong> </strong>is a British-Yemeni artist, writer and performer whose practice spans large- scale painting, spoken word, and socially-driven storytelling. </p><p>Trained as an architect but called to storytelling, she paints large-scale portraits that vibrate with colour, emotion, and spirit. Her work has been exhibited across London, New York, Toronto, and the Middle East, with collectors ranging from Vogue editors to global institutions. Karimah’s art is an invitation: to belong, to feel, to show up. Through her spoken word performances, poetic newsletters like <em>The Gremlins</em>, and weekly &#39;poem casts&#39;, she explores the complexities of identity, visibility, and healing. Her practice is communal and grounded, often unfolding in public spaces with people watching, contributing, or simply witnessing. </p><p>Karimah’s redefinition of success isn’t measured in accolades — but in connection, in creativity without compromise, and in returning again and again to the joy of making. On <em>The Slow Down</em>, she speaks on finding rhythm in chaos, why beauty is an act of resistance, and how to stay soft in a world that demands you harden.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this episode we cover: </strong></p><ul><li>Growing up mixed race in Wales </li><li>Architecture to Art </li><li>Portraits of hundreds of strangers during COVID </li><li>Art as Therapy </li><li>Reclaiming our cycles </li><li>Meeting Vera Wang on the Eurostar</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Mentions: </strong></p><p>The Artist’s way, Julia Cameron</p><p>Letters to a Young Poet - Rilke </p><p>Inception (2010)</p><p>City of God (2002)</p><p>Rothko room at the Tate </p><p><strong>Links: </strong></p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/karimah.hassan/?hl=en"><strong>https://www.instagram.com/karimah.hassan/?hl=en</strong></a></p><p><a href="https://www.karimahhassan.com/"><strong>https://www.karimahhassan.com/</strong></a><strong> </strong></p><p>Season 3 of The Slow Down is created in partnership with period and cycle tracking app Clue. </p><p><em>Especially for The Slow Down listeners, CLUE is offering a 75% discount on the annual Clue Plus subscription via their website. To redeem, go to </em><a href="http://helloclue.com/"><em>helloclue.com</em></a><em> and enter the code SLOWDOWN at checkout). So, download Clue today in the App Store or Google Play, and start making space for the signals your body’s been sending all along.</em><br><em>Link to sign up with discount already included: </em><a href="https://helloclue.com/login?discount_code=SLOWDOWN"><em>https://helloclue.com/login?discount_code=SLOWDOWN</em></a><em> </em></p>