Nael Hanna

Nael Hanna was born in 1959 in Nineva, Northern Iraq, of mixed culture - Iraqi, Greek and Syrian Christian Orthodox - and spent much of his childhood studying and drawing animals, birds and people. At the age of nineteen, he entered college before being drafted into the Army to serve during the Iraq-Iran war. Whilst in military service, Nael continued to paint and was awarded a Scholarship by the Ministry of Education, Baghdad, to study art in Britain.

In 1983, he undertook art and language courses in Southampton before being accepted for the Fine Art degree course at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee. In 1987 Nael won a further scholarship to study at Hospitalfield Summer School, Arbroath, and it was during this time that he developed his great passion for the east coast of Scotland.

Since then, Nael has made his home in the beautiful rural landscape of Angus and has continued to develop his own distinctive style of painting. He has gained a reputation as a leading landscape expressionist and his work is much sought after both at home and abroad. His paintings are often intensely powerful yet at times soothing and tranquil, perfectly reflecting the ever-changing character of nature.