Internationally acclaimed Pakistani ceramist Sheherezade Alam needs no introduction. Her art practice spreads over decades of devoted endeavours and her personal life is steeped in passion, romance, tragedy and triumph. In her young days, her marriage to artist Zahoorul Akhlaq was an event that brought both tribulations and adventure to her life. Together the two creative beings braved the odds and grew together as iconic artists in their respective fields. Later in life, the cruel hand of fate snatched away not only her beloved husband but one of her two daughters, the talented classical dancer Jahanara.

It was an ordeal that Alam braved with grace and grit, and though she left Pakistan to settle in Canada, she eventually decided to return to her old parental home in Lahore. Here she set up an institute named Jahan-i-Jahanara, dedicated to art education for children with special emphasis on our traditional arts.

The Alam residence does indeed bear testimony to the family’s contribution to education and the arts. The senior Ms Alam, Surayya Alam, Sheherezade’s mother, is known for having opened a nursery school in the late ’60s named Toddler’s Academy, which was one of the best nursery schools in Lahore in its heyday. Located in the vicinity of the large and lovely family estate, it is, in fact, still functioning and catering to the educational and creative needs of many children.

Sheherezade Alam’s home and workplace are beautifully integrated with an overriding presence of nature that imbues the place with an aura of serenity

The master ceramist’s home environs and workplace are beautifully integrated. The almost century-old property has been utilised to facilitate creative endeavour in an environment that seems to value the purity and goodness of nature. As one walks into the lush green gardens, a sense of timeless peace is overriding. If it were not for the hot and humid weather, one would gladly spend many hours in this green and serene haven that is clearly the home of art lovers. Alam’s pottery is displayed in the outdoors in specially-made areas with low walls painted in an earthy red hue. Visually unobtrusive, but graceful and functional, the display areas are scattered in more than one place of the sprawling lawns. They emerge as open paved areas, surrounded by trees and foliage and one can sit around and admire a variety of large and small ceramic pieces. The presence of a play area for children with swings and other equipment adds to the endearing aura of the place.

Alam’s style has always been an enchanting amalgam of the earthy, the sensuous and the ethereal. Her mostly rotund pieces in varying sizes, both glazed and unglazed, seem to be a tribute to “Mother Earth” — a concept that the artist has adhered to with passion. As for her studio/work space, it is a medium-sized room with many large glass windows that overlook the natural greenery. It contains an assortment of work equipment, tables and a variety of small ceramic pieces displayed in a simple chequered shelf. Just outside the studio is a sitting area, shaded by a large tree and surrounded by palm leaves, monstera and other plants. Here, too is a paved area and very low lying walls that display a collection of pottery.

Alam’s living area is located a long walk down the work area, behind the much larger main house of her parents. A simple wooden door painted in a bright shade of blue, opens into a narrow staircase that nonetheless emerges as a bewitching space because of the stained glass windows which both bring in and filter the outside light. One’s attention is also caught by the interesting collection of colourful paintings and framed posters hanging on the walls of the stairway. A strange sense of veneration and sanctity is further invoked by the presence of a simple woven mat at the foot of the stairs that clearly indicates that visitors are to take off their shoes before climbing up to the artist’s living quarters. Entry into this space reveals a home that is simple and compact, but beautifully lighted and adorned by an eclectic collection of artworks.

It was indeed a privilege to have had access to this almost magical space that left an indelible impression on one’s mind and soul. “A potter’s paradise” is one description that came spontaneously to mind, and it does seem to do it justice.

Published in Dawn, EOS, November 19th, 2017