She admits that art was always her hobby since she was a child, but it was never a full time job. “Art has always been my game, even when I didn’t practice it professionally,” said Zahid.
Involved in the process of her children’s rearing, Zahid was not free to explore the field of art untill her children became young adults.
“I used to doodle a lot when I was sad, happy or depressed, and I found that this was the only way that helped me with my mixed emotions and calmed me down,” she admitted. “I would end my day with an art piece that portrays how my day went, and I always kept my work to myself. It was later that I decided to share my gift with the world.”
Although she held various positions, she was not fulfilled. “I didn’t find myself in these jobs,” she explained. After quitting her job in one of her family businesses, Zahid finally had free time. So, she used it in drawing and painting, which is how she started her first collection.
Now a full-time artist, Zahid’s art is a combination of pop and comic art. In her opinion, an artist is someone who creates something from the materials around them using his/her ideas, observations, experiences and history to transform them into a drawing that tells a story. “To me, art is not what I see; it’s what I can make people see,” she said.
The Saudi artist received support from her family and friends who pushed her to do more. “The people around me made me feel comfortable and happy with my work, but this was never enough for me. I felt the need to show more people my work in order to get comments and critique. So, I opened a Facebook account and started uploading my work and digital art pieces. I also used another art website to fish for feedback,” she explained.
The verdict? “People really liked my work and encouraged me to produce more, which was a huge support for me because those people didn’t know me personally,” said Zahid.
In 2009, Zahid received a call from an artist asking her to exhibit her pieces with him in Al-Harthy expo. “Hisham Benjabi called me and offered to share his booth with me and asked me to send him pieces from my latest collection. I was so excited that I sent five pieces and I managed to sell four of them at the same exhibition. This was my first exhibition,” she said.
One year later, Zahid managed to produce a whole collection and displayed it in her first solo exhibition. “I held it in Bandar design where I showcased around 28 pieces of which most were sold. Those two exhibitions were the highlight of my art career, as it showed me that people in Saudi Arabia are accepting my art and loving it too,” she added.
Zahid also contributed with her artwork at the “Young Saudi Artists Exhibition” in Athr gallery last January.
According to Zahid, the only art that doesn’t have rules is painting. “This is what I love about it — I can go as wild and crazy as I want and it looks beautiful and attractive. I love that I create my own rules when it comes to my own paintings. I am the queen of my mind, so I draw and mix colors that way I desire,” she added.
Zahid entered the art world not knowing much and spent all her time researching and reading about it. “I never went to an art school, and all I know about art is self taught,” she said. “I’m always looking to know more. I love going through art pieces and reviewing them to study the lines, colors and methods of different artists,” she stated.
Every artwork produced by Zahid has a hidden message or a story behind it. “I have a piece where a Saudi woman is entirely covered and asking for help. When she reveals her mouth, so that her voice can be heard, the Saudi men wearing their traditional clothing, turn their backs on her. She later realizes that her certificate and her work are the only thing she can rely on,” she explained.
When Zahid starts painting, she starts thinking in the language of paint. “I love experimenting. I mix colors and different materials to find the best kind that suits my mood and what I’m thinking of at the moment. I usually change my mind so quickly, so I’ll start painting a flower, for instance, and then change the lines and turn it into a portrait,” she said.
Zahid wishes that schools in Saudi Arabia would teach Saudi art history to students so that they can learn local art methods and techniques. “I wish for young people to learn about art through the eyes of Saudi artists. I’m saying this because we have legendary art pieces made by local artists,” she said.
