Blending elements from Syrian folklore and Western art, Al Maari’s work captures familiar Damascus characters and scenes, with a carefully formed simplicity. Using pencil and Chinese ink, he renders much of his work in black and white, acknowledging his early days, printmaking at university. Colors in acrylics and mixed media occasionally enter his work creating thoughtful impact like with these two characters “Assaad w Joudeh,” based on a popular satirical series called “Day3a Daay3a.”