To make ends meet, struggling artists are sidestepping into other careers. In search of a reliable minimal income, many are turning to work at beauty salons. They are leaving their oil paint and now dip their brushes in makeup instead.

Najwa Al-Jarallah is a visual artist and holds a bachelors degree from an art institute. She experienced severe financial hardship, as her art did not sell as well as she had hoped. This forced her to leave her art studio and turn to the beauty industry. Like many artists, she produced a lot of artwork after graduation and looked for support from establishments to sponsor the exhibition of her paintings in different cities. She was unsuccessful in finding this support. Like many budding artists before her, Al-Jarallah decided after eight years to keep her paintings to herself and gradually search for another profession.

“My current career is not much different from when I practiced art. Both involve the use of paints and colors. As a beauty artist, I am able to apply colors and the brush in a different way and I apply my own touches to each face based on the features and the needs of the woman.”

Another artist, who requested anonymity, chose to practice fine arts with the support of her now deceased father. After graduating, she focused on drawing. She transformed a room in her house into a studio for herself, and began, with the support of some of her colleagues, to set up a group gallery for exhibitions. Luck was not on her side, as the rent of the gallery was high in addition to other costs she found herself unable to bear.

She had hoped there would be support for artists, especially during the first years after graduation. Setting up a gallery requires experience and a complete team of dedicated people. Many galleries, she said, suffer financial losses due to their inability to properly promote the paintings.

“I now work as a designer to obtain a monthly income. Even though I have abandoned the studio, I am still an artist and I have my paintings that are in need of support and promotion.”

Sohail Tashkandi, head of the Committee on Information and Public Relations at the Foundation of Culture and Arts, told local daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat the foundation performs its duties toward artists in Saudi Arabia. It provides logistical support based on the needs of each artist, noting that the foundation has a new venue that can be used to display the artwork of various artists any time they want.

Through this venue, the foundation offers advanced courses in all types of drawing and art for all artists who wish to join and take advantage of these courses, in which the elite and notable artists and specialists in the field are participating, said Tashkandi.

[email protected]