RIYADH, 5 May 2003 — Amaal Alzahrani, who just completed her second successful exhibition here, is a young Saudi portrait artist whose talent was discovered at a young age. Her parents, sensing her unusual potential, sent her to the well-known artist Monirah Almousely, who guided her through painting styles and techniques and introduced her to art as a profession.
Years later, in the summer of 2000 and 2001, she joined the Ecole Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris to continue her studies. Amaal now works in pencil and charcoal as well as oil, preferably on classical themes.
Amaal, who has a major in psychology from King Saud University, has a fertile imagination, which has found its way into her art since childhood.
“When I was a child my drawings were all derived from fairy tales. My reading still seems to have a big influence on me. Sometimes while I am reading a book I stop at a particular sentence or a phrase and it inspires me. So I start drawing a mental picture which I later reflect in actual drawing.
“There are also times when I hold my brush and just let my unconscious mind guide me.”
Sometimes her work takes a long time to mature. “I may not always be able to complete a portrait. I started drawing a portrait of a woman from Baha in the southern region in 1999. But the portrait was not completed until 2003. But the result was very satisfying and that is what matters.”
Amaal sees each portrait as part of her identity. “They reflect my personality, mentality and mood. My work is full of notions and expressions. When I am sad or angry, I let my lines and choice of colors speak for me.”
She feels that as a result her work is easy to interpret. “After all, drawing is my best means of communication. I am also very fond of drawing women. There are women in most of my pictures, and my women are always full of mystery and charm.”
Current events nonetheless find their way into her work. “During the Iraq siege, I drew a picture of a starving child. It was my way of expressing my frustration with the situation there. Having been brought up in family that believes in the Palestinian cause also had a great effect on me. During the second uprising, the whole world was shocked by the terrifying killing of Muhammad Al-Durra. In my sadness and rage I painted a picture of him lying in the arms of his helpless father. That became the first in a series of paintings.”
The young artist has so far held two exhibitions. Both were great successes. “My first exhibition was very small, and I was very anxious. It included some of my drawings plus works in different materials like dry flowers and candles.” The most striking pieces were the hand-painted wooden frames. “The exhibition was very successful so my family encouraged me to prepare for a bigger event.”
This was the opening of her recent exhibition named “Esperance.” This time she exhibited oil paintings, pencil and charcoal sketches and Chinese ink drawings. It also included some works in wood and mirrors. Her work sold out in no time. “It was a very rewarding experience.”
She is about to travel to France for a Master’s in Art Psychology, which employs drawing as a method for treatment. “You can find out a lot about a person’s psychology from drawing, especially with children. Drawings help in diagnosing and analyzing many cases, which can afterward lead to proper treatment. Drawing may also serve as a way of releasing one’s tension and stress or help express inner feelings. Art psychology is a very effective approach and I would love to apply it here in Saudi Arabia.”
“I spent most of my childhood in France, so I am very attached to it,” she added.
