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PICHA - Women Shaping Creative Spaces

March 5, 2026

SZ Gallery has had the distinct pleasure of collaborating with Josiane Faubert, Artist and Photographer, born in Gabon. She is also the Founder of PICHA, a stock photo agency that brings curated, diverse visuals to brands and business looking to tell richer stories, inclusive of Afrocentric communities. Together, soulful exhibitions ranged from showcasing talented photographers selected during PICHA’s annual call to artists, Afrofuturism and SKIN, to a presentation of Weaving Stories, a visual storytelling book that celebrates the beauty, reslience and vibrancy of Afrocentric communities across the globe.

For International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8, PICHA is preparing a special series highlighting women shaping creative spaces. It’s their way of not only celebrating creative talent, but also leadership, influence and impact. Suzanne Zahr has been invited to participate. She was asked these very thought-provoking questions below. How would you respond?

  1. Who are five women who have shaped the way you see, build, or create?

  2. How does your identity as a woman influence the way you work?

  3. What is one structural change you would love to see in your industry that would meaningfully shift access or equity for women — especially women of color and intersectional voices?

  4. What do you believe is your creative superpower?

  5. What would you tell your younger self — or a young woman entering your field today?

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In Art Tags art gallery, First Friday, Photography, SZ Gallery, picha, africa
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How to care for your diasporic and immigrant friend…

March 5, 2026

This is a care guide for people who are still protected by some form of privilege, and who have immigrant and diasporic friends, partners, colleagues, employees, neighbors, etc. who are cut off from their home and support systems, and who are forced to navigate normality while being torn apart on the inside.

Experiencing war and disaster while in the diaspora is isolating, distressing and harrowing. Watching horror unfold back home while people around you fall into silence without extending actual care is also traumatic.

Care is deeply political. We know this because care can be commodified, weaponized and withdrawn as a form of punishment. If care is political, then choosing not to care is also political.

This is a care guide to make sure you don’t cause more harm.

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In Community Tags diaspora, global citizen
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Should I Stay or Should I go? Design & Permitting Process.

January 28, 2026

Ever wondered if it is better to substantially remodel and/or add-on to your existing home, rather than sell and buy another? Real estate values have gone up considerably, and in our current seller's market, it's the buying-back-in that can be costly if it's not timed just right. 

Considering the resources involved in the design, permitting, & construction process, is it worth it to leverage the appreciation gained in your current house and transform it into your dream home? 

The simple answer is: It depends. Each property is unique, and each family is different. The best thing to do is explore all options and make informed decisions with the help of your professional real estate, design, & build community.

We recently ventured down this decision-making process with our Mercer Island clients. They purchased a lovely 1,800 SF lakefront home a few years ago, but it didn't meet their family's personality & lifestyle. They selected Suzanne Zahr as their Architect to help lead them down a path of discovery that would ultimately result in an informed "go / no-go" decision.

With each phase of the design process, new insights were creatively explored and considered. Here's a brief summary of our collaborative journey in creating their 4,500 SF dream home.

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In Design Tags Design, design-build, Mercer Island, Lakefront
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Tour: Architect's Home + DADU on Mercer Island

December 16, 2025

Enjoy a sneak peek into an Architect’s new home on Mercer Island.  Perched uphill from her recently built 750 SF Guest House, Suzanne Zahr’s beautiful 3,300 SF family home is organized around a featured ‘spine wall’ running North-South, paying homage to an indigenous rammed earth building methodology. A split ridge roof with clerestory windows is seated above, allowing for natural light to travel through the main living areas from dawn to dusk. Thoughtful site orientation and efficient space planning enable passive solar design to maximize heat retention and minimize energy use, which ultimately offers a general sense of ambient well-being. Taking advantage of the sloped site, the stormwater gravity flows into an on-site detention tank, minimizing the impact to municipal stormwater drainage system that flows into Lake Washington.

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In Architecture Tags green roof, green home, green home tour, northwest, architecture, construction, dadu
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Latest & Greatest

Featured
Mar 5, 2026
PICHA - Women Shaping Creative Spaces
Mar 5, 2026
Mar 5, 2026
Mar 5, 2026
How to care for your diasporic and immigrant friend…
Mar 5, 2026
Mar 5, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Should I Stay or Should I go? Design & Permitting Process.
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Dec 16, 2025
Tour: Architect's Home + DADU on Mercer Island
Dec 16, 2025
Dec 16, 2025
Nov 17, 2025
Storybook Pond Residence.
Nov 17, 2025
Nov 17, 2025
Nov 17, 2025
PERSIAN GARDEN by Monir & Mehdi Ghanbeigy.
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Nov 17, 2025
HOUSELESSNESS by Mohammed Joha.
Nov 17, 2025
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Nov 16, 2025
LEBANON 2025: Homecoming.
Nov 16, 2025
Nov 16, 2025

2441 76th Ave SE, Suite 160, Mercer Island, WA 98040  |   206. 354. 1567