• Tariq Al-Sahli’s art may be erased daily, but it lasts long enough to inspire his students
• Speaking about how he nurtures his students, he said: “I give supplementary drawing and talent development classes”

Tareq Al-Thaqafi

MAKKAH: Saudi art teacher Tariq Al-Sahli in Madinah is breathing life into his classrooms through his extraordinary works of art, drawn onto the whiteboard.

Al-Sahli presents his artworks on a daily basis, transforming the school into a veritable art center. Social media users widely share the teacher’s detailed whiteboard drawings, expressing their admiration for his talent.

Al-Sahli told Arab News that he discovered his talent at a young age and, in college, decided to join the department of art education.

He said: “My relationship with drawing started at an early stage of my life, when I was just 10 years old. I used to love notebooks and pencils, the only tools I could use to translate my thoughts. I really love drawing, and that love has deepened since I discovered contemporary art, which inspired me to produce my best works.”

His style has evolved over time, he says.

“At first, classical realism inspired me the most until I discovered contemporary art, which was clearly reflected in my works. I even linked classical realism to contemporary art. The administration of my school, Al-Khanaq National School, was one of my biggest supporters, namely my school principal Prof. Raed Al-Harbi.”

Speaking about how he nurtures his students, he said: “I give supplementary drawing and talent development classes … Drawing is meaningful and leaves a significant mark. Creativity and distinction lie in drawing. It is a way to express one’s thoughts, feelings, and sensations.”

As a teacher and an artist, Al-Sahli aims to be an inspiring role model: “My mission is to stand out as a Saudi artist with a great impact on society.”

Although some students may not have shown interest in art, Al-Sahli tries to foster an appreciation for it and use his classroom “as an interactive space, because this is what art is truly about.”

Al-Sahli said that he always tries to combine the curriculum approved by the Ministry of Education with his creative drawings in order to cultivate students’ talents and skills.

Art and artistic expression play an important role in developing society, he says, especially in light of Vision 2030, which the teacher says “represents artists’ ambitions and translates their hopes.”