Nael Hanna

(b. 1959)
Born in Northern Iraq, Nael Hanna showed an early passion for art before being drafted into the army to serve in the Iran–Iraq war. Even during this turbulent time, he continued to paint, and his talent earned him a scholarship from the Ministry of Education in Baghdad. Choosing to study in Britain, he attended Southampton and Dundee before securing a residency at the prestigious Hospitalfield in Arbroath. It was there that Hanna fell in love with Scotland’s east coast—a landscape that has remained a constant source of inspiration in his work. His paintings, rich in texture and expressive brushwork, weave together his Iraqi heritage and his deep connection to the Scottish coastline.