سيرة ذاتية

Ikleel Fadel is a Saudi portraiture painter based in Jeddah. Her passion for fine art has motivated her to draw from a young age. In 2015, she took her hobby seriously and started focusing on painting portraits with oils and taught herself the skills and tricks of the old masters. Her work can be described as impressionistic realism influenced by old masters such as Sargent, Bouguereau, Rembrandt, Courbet and others. She started participating in art galleries in 2016 and held her first solo exhibition in April 2017 titled (Saudi Heritage Artwork). The gallery exhibited paintings that were based on Saudi's heritage and traditional attire, with an aim to enlighten the general public about the beauty and magnificence of the Saudi culture.

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The lack of portrait-painting courses in Jeddah, due to the focus of art academies on nature and still-life subjects, inspired her to start her own accredited course titled ‘The Introductory Portrait Oil Painting Course’, followed by a second level course titled 'Classical Portrait painting'.

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Since the course started in August 2020, she has trained over 260 students. The high demand for this course proves that there has always been a great interest for portraiture painting among the Saudi community — it only needed professional training and guidance to flourish. Through her courses, she aspires to share her passion and experience in painting. She looks forward to training and mentoring a new generation of talented portraiture artists.

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She currently lives and exhibits her artwork in London and goes back to Jeddah in the summer to hold her art courses.

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Exhibitions 

• 2024: Roots & Routes Exhibition, Millbank Tower, London, UK.

• 2024: Soulscapes Late Night, Dulwich Picture Gallery, London, UK.

• 2024: Milk & Honey Exhibition, Brixton Tate Library, London, UK.

• 2024: Coalesce Exhibition, Copeland Gallery, London, UK.

• 2024: Live painting at Saudi Founding Day Exhibition, Saudi Cultural Bureau, London, UK.

• 2023: Before Now After Then Exhibition, Barge House Gallery, OXO Tower Wharf, London, UK.

• 2022: Camberwell Gallery, UAL, London, UK.

• 2022: Saudi Artists of London, Lancaster Gate, London, UK.

• 2022: Live painting at Women's Day Event, KPMG Head office, Jeddah, SA.

• 2017: Saudi Heritage Artwork-Solo Exhibition, Jeddah, SA.

• 2017: Live painting at HRH King Salman Gallery, Hilton Hotel, Jeddah, SA.

• 2016: Live painting at Mother’s Day Gallery, Hilton Hotel, Jeddah, SA.

• 2016: Live painting at Jeddah Spring Gallery, Jeddah, SA.