But a Georgia O’Keefe, well, that’s something Saudi Arabia seems to have in abundance. Saudi women appear to be at ease with expressing themselves through sculpture and on the canvas. They are bold and uncensored. They show certain strength through their various modes of artistic expression that cannot easily be seen behind the veils of their black abayas. They are showing their true colors through their vocal works and the message is one of staunch feminism.

One such artist is Muneera Alkaltham of the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. Alkaltham is making a name for herself through her depiction of multi-ethnic women and the celebration of their beauty. Alkaltham’s works have garnered international recognition, with an invitation to display her pieces at the United Nations headquarters in New York City last year. When asked if she considers herself a feminist, she answered with a smile: “100 percent.” Her work manifesto is direct and overt: To show the world the real beauty and strength of womankind, to express how they deserve equal treatment in every nation and to change the way some nations perceive women and their subsequent roles in society.

As I said, bold and uncensored.

Saudi Arabia is a nation of strong women with even stronger opinions. We need to encourage these voices and give them a platform to which to be heard from. Signature Philosophy on Prince Sultan Street in Jeddah provided such a platform last week with the unveiling of “Almuneera”— Alkaltham’s most recent exhibit. “The message I want to deliver is that women all around the world, whatever their race or religion, deserve to be treated equally,” asserted Alkaltham.

Her pieces are colorful and large, mirroring the painter’s own personality. “I receive all my inspiration from cultures I see and read about through my travels and my closest friends — many of whom I have seen suffering,” reveals Alkaltham. “Ever since I was a little girl, I have always been fascinated with the female sex and her complexities. The female has always been the only subject I have ever wanted to paint. She represents beauty and serenity as well as courage and strength.”

Her painting “3/4 of the World,” consists of two canvases in the shape of the number ten. “It is one of my strongest paintings,” said Alkaltham. “I depicted the shape of the globe and painted the women as 3\4 of it because, as a matter of a fact, she is. She is the sister, daughter, lover, wife and the mother. Without her, our generation will not be raised well, without her we won’t have productive men. So, she is the tenderness, kindness, wholeheartedness, and the love that every creature needs.”

She explained that although she depicts women from all around the world, African women have had the biggest influence on her. “I think this may be because my best friend is African and I have witnessed her strength, struggle and a strong firmness within her,” said Alkaltham.“I believe African women are some of the strongest women in the world and I am proud to have many of my paintings reflecting that point of view.”

Alkaltham has always revealed how she felt different from the other kids when she was growing up. “I created my own world and rules in life,” she said. She remembers how it felt and claims she always knew she had more to offer. “I had this hope that my hidden talent would one day lift me up and show the entire world how to express one’s beliefs through art.”

Her advice to other little girls who also feel like they have something more to give this world: No matter what, always follow your dreams and seek your rights, while staying under the umbrella of good manners and keeping in mind the values of society.

Alkaltham’s design process is more like a trip, in which the artist lives within the confines of reality and is taken to her world of vivid imagination. “I start drawing clear basic lines with my pencil then jump to coloring, leaving my imagination open for the moment,” said Alkaltham.

“Once I hold the brush, I find it very hard to get out of the mood and leave the painting for the other day. Every painting has a story and a caption that I have lived personally or have witnessed others passing through. I used different oil colors, and for my 2010 collection, I utilized gold and moon leaves — moon leaves for a saddened effect and the gold for the shining/glowing appearance.”

Regardless of the emotion portrayed in her paintings, one this is for sure: Alkaltham’s paintings are strong in their fragile beauty. Strength turns into a synonym for femininity and femininity is celebrated in bold, vivid colors.