Aigerim Shilibekova, who goes by her artistic name of Aia Tarazi, is a multi-talented polymath who possesses a wide range of interests and has travelled the world to hone her skills, expertise, and interests. As a young child, Aia was inspired by her late grandmother to pursue traditional forms of art after spending her summer vacations in a remote village in Kazakhstan, where she developed an understanding of the traditional crafts of Kazakh culture. She is also a polyglot who speaks seven languages and her passion inspired her to explore the language of ornaments and patterns. Her interest in this field led her to Istanbul, where she further nurtured her passion for traditional Islamic arts by doing Ebru (or painting on water) and Calligraphy in the Suleymaniye library. She reinforced her theoretical foundations by obtaining a Certificate in Islamic Art and Architecture from Oxford University, and went on to learn from artistic experts from countries around the world, including Turkey, Iran, UK, and Russia.

After living in all these wonderful places, Aia has found her home in Burnaby for the past three years. She is grateful for how supportive this welcoming, vibrant community has been to her and her family. She is currently pursuing a PhD degree in Educational Technology and Learning Design at Simon Fraser University, which has given her the opportunity to research the design of an inclusive and accessible online learning experience. Moreover, Aia has various interests outside of art as well, ranging from political science, strategic planning and management, international education, to instructional design.

Aia sees the Burnaby Festival of Learning as an opportunity to share the beautiful art and culture of the Muslim people with the greater Burnaby community. This virtual skill-shop will introduce participants to the sacred art of Geometry and the rich history of ornaments. Participants will have the chance to learn the basic language and best practices of Geometric Art while creating their very own pattern.

Aia finds it amazing how anyone who knows how to hold a compass, a ruler and a pencil, can learn how to draw patterns, and ultimately learn to appreciate and create this art form. She believes that anybody who applies resilience in their life, allows their inner artist to try and experiment, focuses on the process, and stays passionate and persistent, will be able to succeed as an artist.