The passing of the late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz had artists express their sorrow for the loss in many ways. That is what being an artist is all about- expressing emotion through a canvas or mural or song even — it is in their nature. One artist has not only made a mural expressing this sorrow, but it also speaks of the feelings of a whole nation.

Ahmad Zuhair Al Garni is not new to the art scene. He has participated in a number of exhibitions showcasing his work such as the recently held “kuna kida” festival in Jeddah’s historic district, the Balad.

An English school teacher by profession and an artist at heart, Ahmad uses his paint brush, his tool of choice to express his feelings.

Friday, the Jan.3 was a day on which Saudi Arabia experienced a sadness not felt in a long time- the loss of a father figure and a great leader.

He didn’t know how to express his sadness until he left his home that night and headed to a wall along the Jeddah Corniche where he started painting away his sadness.

“This is how I was able to mourn; I drew from the heart. I’ve wanted to do something of impact for a long time but nothing ever came close to what the result was. I’ve read the poem by Sulaiman Al Saqaby and have seen the photo of the late king leaving his palace one day and thought this is exactly what I wanted to paint. The photo was of him leaving with his back to the camera as he leaned on his cane and the dots connected. It’s the most powerful photograph I’ve come across and it felt like this is what it really meant, leaving us.”

Ahmad’s choice of method isn’t confined to one medium. He mixes different mediums such as pencil and charcoal and clearly has a knack for oil painting and even his sketches and doodles with a pen are quite impressive.

The mind has no limits to imagination and creativity. It is always progressing, always hungry for diversity conflicting with originality resulting in a clash of both splatter and harmony on a canvas. “I am influenced by my surroundings and I tend to zone out and gather my thoughts and feelings as I sense the vibes of my surroundings. It’s the best way to gain great results,” said Ahmad.

The artist calculated the time it would take for him to complete the mural before he left home fearing that he might be caught doing something which may put him in trouble. However, he was lucky that night. The streets were packed and as he finished his painting the curious crowds took notice and before he knew it, his art work had spread on all social media sites.

“We did our best to keep the crowds at bay to avoid the traffic police but everyone wanted a picture of the mural!” he said, recounting his experience.

“I am so glad that it took a turn for the better with the mural making headlines everywhere. I felt the loss because I am a son of the Kingdom and I lost a father that day too,” he added.

Photographer Majed bin Abdullah camped out for hours in front of the mural not only appreciating it, but also continuously taking pictures of people as they took pictures as well.

Saudis and foreigners alike lined up in front of it as he took his shots. “It’s amazing how Ahmad was able to do this so well and people came from all over to see this picture. I had to ask them to give me a minute to shoot the mural on its own and as soon as I did people wanted to take their own pictures. It’s a wonderful gesture from an artist such as Ahmad.”

The mural hasn’t gone unnoticed by officials either. Just last Wednesday, Ahmad received a call from Prince Miteb bin Abdullah. “It was a very humbling experience to receive a call from his royal highness. He assured me that my mural dedicated to the late king is priceless and said that he will do what he can to assure it is preserved and placed in a location for all to admire. It was a call that really moved me,” Ahmad said.

Later, the artist was able to visit Prince Khalid bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in his palace and presented him a copy of the mural painted on a large canvas as his way of paying respect to His Royal Highness and the royal family.

A recent video of the exchange shows how Prince Khalid was moved when the canvas was presented to him and thanked Ahmad Zuahir for his effort and his sincerity in creating his piece.

As for future projects from the artist, Ahmad confirmed that there will be more surprises coming up. Be sure to follow him on his Instagram page “Zuhair Art” and his twitter account, “zuhair_art”.

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