Kassim Al-Refai, was born in 1967 in Ramtha, Jordan, 100 kilometres north of the capital Amman on the border with Syria. After leaving secondary school, he studied Fine Arts at Yarmouk University in the Jordanian city of Irbid, where he graduated with a MA in 1994.

Besides teaching painting skills, Kassim develops new methods to teach art to adults and children. In recent years, he has written parts one and two of the series ‘Drawing and Design’, the third part of which will be published in 2012. Since January 2009, he has been responsible as a central supervisor of arts for art education and all art activities in the northern part of Jordan.

Inspired by memories and his own imagination, his paintings, done in a semi-abstract, figurative style, depict his involvement in the problems of daily life and survival. Kassim mostly works with oil on canvas or with ink and bamboo on paper.

Since 1985, his work has been exhibited in many solo and group exhibitions in Jordan and neighbouring countries. His work can be found in vast collections in a host of museums, institutes and galleries. Kassim Al-Refai has also held various exhibitions in the Netherlands. In 2007, he won first prize at ‘Art in Progress’ exhibition held by the KVBKB (Royal Association of Belgian Artists) in Damme in Belgium.