Written by: Jana Osama Mohammad

Decoupage is more than just cutting and pasting, it’s a way of giving life, color, and story to everyday objects. To learn more about this timeless art, we spoke with Abeer Samy El Shahed, an artist who has been practicing decoupage for over five years. In this interview, she shares her journey, inspiration, and hopes for preserving this beautiful craft.

Q1: Could you please introduce yourself and tell us how you first started practicing decoupage?

My name is Abeer El Shahed. I’ve been practicing decoupage for around five and a half years now. I first learned about it by watching YouTube videos, then decided to take specialized courses to develop my skills and techniques further.

Q2: For those unfamiliar, what exactly is decoupage, and what does it mean to you personally?

Abeer:

The word “decoupage” comes from French and literally means “cut and paste.” The art itself originated in China during the 12th century before spreading across other parts of the world.

To me, decoupage is a beautiful hobby that I truly love. It helps me express my passion and creativity. It’s something I enjoy doing every single day, and I hope to reach a professional level in it someday.

Q3: What first inspired you to start doing decoupage, and what do you think makes this craft special?

I was first inspired when I saw a picture on Facebook of a wardrobe that looked vintage even though it was new. That image caught my attention and made me curious about how such an effect could be created.

What I love most about decoupage is that it doesn’t require you to be a skilled painter. You can use special types of paper, like tissue paper or parchment paper and apply them in a way that makes the piece look hand-painted. It allows anyone to create art without needing advanced drawing skills, which makes it very special to me.

Q4: What are the biggest challenges you face in maintaining and developing this craft today?

One major challenge is the high cost of learning materials and courses. Decoupage is a wide and detailed field that requires many tools, materials, and techniques like raised textures, antique finishes, or even gold leaf effects.

Online tutorials are helpful, but real courses are still important, and unfortunately, they can be expensive. In addition, the rising prices of materials and delivery fees have made it harder to afford good-quality supplies.

Q5: Do you think people today value handmade crafts like decoupage as much as they used to?

Actually, I believe many people still appreciate handmade crafts. A great example is the “Turathna” exhibition, which took place in early October. The number of exhibitors and visitors was amazing, even people from abroad, like China, Europe, and the Gulf countries, attended and admired the handmade works.

Events like these show that people truly value artistic craftsmanship. Many artists even start with decoupage and later expand into furniture restoration and home décor businesses.

Q6: In your opinion, how can we preserve and promote traditional crafts like decoupage among future generations?

We should start by offering free workshops in schools, community centers, mosques, and churches during summer breaks. Teaching children and young people about crafts can make a real difference.

We can also collaborate with charities to raise awareness. For example, showing people how to turn old wooden pieces into beautiful artworks.

In the United States and Europe, people often buy old or discarded furniture and restore it creatively. Decoupage makes that possible, and it’s actually very easy if you love it. With passion, you can reach incredible levels and even build new creative paths from it.

Abeer El Shahed’s journey with decoupage reminds us that creativity doesn’t need perfection - just passion, patience, and a love for beauty.