Mai Heshmat is primarily a portrait painter featuring striking faces. She combines likenesses of contemporary Egyptians with the styles of portraiture from history; in other works, she rejuvenates portraits by adding in a youthful feel. The result is a body of portraiture that has an ancient and soulful look in modern settings.

Born in 1979, Heshmat graduated from the Academy of Art in 2001. Her art has been showcased in numerous group exhibitions inside and outside Egypt.