Great Mosque of Xi’an

Watercolor & Ink on 8x10” Cotton Rag

This piece is inspired by the story and history of the Great Mosque of Xi’an, the oldest mosque in China. What drew me to it was how Islamic faith is expressed through traditional Chinese architectural forms, timber structures, sweeping roofs, courtyards, and calligraphy, rather than domes and minarets. Built centuries ago along the Silk Road, the mosque reflects how religion and local culture merged naturally through trade and community. Creating this watercolor and ink sketch was a way to study that fusion of belief and architecture, and to highlight how faith can take on different visual languages while remaining rooted in the same foundations