Bright colors, sullen moods, optimism, realism and height of imagination were some of the expressions portrayed by the young and budding artists at a fine art exhibition held at Dhahran Academy High School auditorium at the United States Consulate early this week.
The medium adopted by these young students ranged from water to oil, from pencil to pastel, from relief to sculptures. In all, 230 works were displayed at the show. It was inaugurated by Norma Hudson, superintendent of International School Group. Some of the works at the exhibition were a pure delight, and some amazing. From a 10th grader, an abstract art portraying the nuances of life is certainly amazing and overwhelming. The choice of colors and backgrounds showed how young minds were reacting to their environment and happenings around them. Some of the paintings vividly captured the realities of life — some harsh, some blissful.
Observations and study of social developments and struggle for life were other subjects found in some of the works. Their reflection on the canvas may not be as sharp as in the work of some professional painters, but certainly the very fact the young minds still react to their surroundings was encouraging.
It is difficult to explain all the 230 works displayed at the show. Therefore, a selected few could be mentioned here. But for sure all the works lit up the auditorium and were a pure treat to the eyes and mind.
The best realistic portraits were of Heather in prism colors. Leila is the one who showed more creativity. One cannot help being impressed by her "Fairies and Horses." Eunjoo’s watercolors were amazing. She showed a lot of maturity in her style.
Noor and Bisma’s oil color paintings were outstanding. Damien and Dana’s "Falcon" was fantastic. The oil with bright colors carved on high-sized linoleum was more of a professional work, and not amateurish in any way. Sana’s "Lady on Couch" was one of the best works on display; the painting reflected a strong control of her realistic strokes.
"The Woman with a Sad Face" of Seemab reminded the works of Rembrandt. The portrait was searching and profound. Farina showed her versatility. She had a variety of works from water to oil and from pencil to pastel. Her "Arab Face" was absolutely expressive.
Victoria Roth was innovative in her painting of a falcon on marble. Nadime showed her skill through realistic sketches. Swad and Rania displayed still life through oil and pastel.
The credit must not be denied to the organizer of the show, Abeera Atique, an artist in her own right and art teacher at Dhahran Academy High School. Most of the young artists said they derived inspiration from Abeera. She has three solo shows and 20 group exhibitions to her credit. Now she wants to promote her students and give them the right exposure.
The only thing the exhibition lacked was a large audience. The amazing works of the budding artists needed more appreciation and applause. They deserved it and certainly it would have encouraged them more. Many educational institutions in the region can learn from this show that the hidden talents are not confined to DAHS but are in plenty elsewhere too. They have to have the spirit of DAHS and dedication of Abeera to tap those talents.