Shahd Alhamdan

Saudi Gazette

Many talented Saudis are using social media such as Instagram, a smartphone social media app that uses images, to market their individual products and services, including art.



Dalya Mousa, a Saudi artist, uses the social media app to sell her paintings. She presently works as an arts program manager at the Art Jameel Initiative and graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Central Missouri.



While in the US, Mousa worked as a graphic designer, freelance designer and artist. Her work has been showcased at several art exhibitions in Jeddah.



“I started drawing at the age of nine. I used to open magazines and start drawing all the ads and portraits. I recently started a business in art and graphic design. I am making my way in life and enjoying every step,” said Mousa who decided to launch her own business by using social media as a low cost strategy to communicate with her customers.



The price of her art is based on the genre and sizes. “When you have a talent like mine, you feel an urge to show others the beautiful art you are able to draw. The goal of artists and designers is to kill ugliness and that’s what I want to do,” she added.



“My work is visual. Instagram is the best application to display my work. If you are an active user of social-media, you can’t ignore Instagram. You should check my account @dalyaart and @dalyadesign,” said Mousa, adding that she has many goals in life, including becoming famous, selling art that is affordable and capitalizing on social media to generate interest in her work.



“To be honest, when I first started, I doubted people would appreciate my work. Surprisingly, people these days understand and appreciate art, especially those between the ages of 20-40,” she added.



“I’m working on my website, so my work is always available for viewers to see. The obstacle that I face including spotting new forms of art and trends, and keeping ahead of the competition,” said Mousa.