May Khoury

A mother of three, May Khoury was born in Ramallah, Palestine, where her passion for folklore and crafts was first ignited. Upon discovering her artistic instinct, May worked hard to eventually become an avid antiques collector and a cultural conservationist. For over 16 years now, May’s creations have earned her a deserving status as a Traditional Handicraft Designer and devotee. Her employment of Arab artisans has not only helped them attain financial liberty, but also nurtured their craftsmanship skills in developing attractive contemporary handicrafts, thus preserving myriad traditional facets from fading away.

May became a worldwide promoter of the rich Arabian heritage, transforming its aged beauty with new furniture and clothing designs to adorn the modern-day home. Her fresh approach to redesigning folkloric pieces has gained popularity with younger and older generations alike. The recycling process of breathing new life into older pieces has become her trademark in producing desirable, artistic, and functional creations.

“Some people use music, others poetry, in my case it’s design…
it speaks louder than words to tell the stories of our ancestors for generations to come” 

~ May Khoury

Selected Milestones

• Participated in several international handicraft festivals, where her unique Jordanian creations were introduced to Arab and European countries, as part of the Mediterranean Handicraft Promotion Mission.
• Attended and participated in several conferences and workshops around the Arab world and Europe, aimed at preserving cultural heritages through arts and crafts, by providing the financial instruments needed for women entrepreneurs, to develop their small handicraft businesses.
• Member of the World Crafts Council.
• Honorary Member of the Jordanian Handicrafts Producers Association.
• Member of the Steering Committee organized by "Siyaha Project" for forming the Strategies of the Jordanian Handicrafts Sector.
• Member of the International Women Forum (Jordan Branch).
• Member of the Jordanian Forum for Business & Professional Women.