An American artist here says the work of local artists has inspired her own creations and given her further insight into Saudi culture.

Tamara A. Jones is a visual artist who recently launched a solo exhibition in Thuwal.

Jones said her work could be labeled “digital art.” She takes photographs and manipulates it on a computer. “I kind of go beyond the photograph because I put my own personal expression on to it. The subject matter is mangroves and took me two to three weeks to produce.”

Jones said the “Out of Arabia” show held in 2012 was one of the turning points in her career. She decided to return to her “roots” of fine art after being in graphic design for many years.

“The show attracted me because there were such wonderful pieces of work on display.” She felt a “kinship” the artists and started to get an inkling of the culture in Saudi Arabia.

“It was really a fascinating show because it got people excited about expressing themselves. I could see Saudi culture through the eyes of the artists.” She was particularly inspired by a sculpture of a tree with calligraphy created by a Saudi woman artist.

Jones said she did not plan to come to this country, but was “thrilled” at the opportunity to join her husband who works as an academic at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal.

She believes new artists should “trust their gifts, to explore it and allow themselves to make mistakes.”

“I believe it is God-given, and developing and applying it brings fulfillment and enrichment not only to our own lives but to others as well. Let it take form through the person you are and the experiences you have encountered.”