By Johara Al Mogbel
What got you started?
I started embroidering when I was 10 years old, my fourth grade teacher introduced me to the basic stitches in sewing class, and I fell in love with it ever since.
Although I had an artistic vision since childhood, it took me many years to listen to my creative soul and become an artist. In fact, I didn’t start calling myself an artist, or share my art to the world, until recently in early 2013.
Why do you art?
I choose art to deliver a message when words and actions fail me. Making art has always been so important to me that it’s hard to imagine doing anything else. The greatest thing about it is using mixed media and having this sense of endless possibilities.
Name: Mishail Ehsan Al Faqeeh
AGE: 20
college student: Double majoring in Marketing and Project Management at AlFaisal University and one of the very first artistic embroiderers in Riyadh.
Is your work the result of sudden inspiration, or long term planning? How do you think up your concepts?
I am a self-taught artist, therefore planning and preparing ahead is not a possibility. I will “see” or dream an image that I will quickly try to capture as a small sketch. Other times I just start collaging papers, ideas and images, to support my concept. I usually get inspired by an artwork or a topic I’m interested in, and try my best to come up with the desired result.
What do you think of the art scene in Riyadh? Anything you’d like to see changed?
I am extremely impressed with the vast growth of artistic culture in Riyadh. There are some incredibly talented artists of all disciplines. I think everyone in Saudi felt this “artistic boom” in the last five years.
What does being creative mean to you?
Being creative means that I get the privilege to make and deliver aspects of many elements in different ways to reach and touch the hearts of a variety of people.
Favorite piece of artwork by someone else?
Seeing seeing – 김대현 Daehyun Kim