Treasured Memories of the Kingdom

by Maria Padilla-Morris

PDA : Private Display of Affection - $110

Both figurines were hand sculpted and cannot be separated. Both have glass eyes and she has eye makeup. Her necklace are beads from Yemen. The pattern on the front of her dress duplicates a Palestine design. Her albaya has highlights created by Pearl Ex powders. This figurine comes with a mini 7x4 in. woven Turkish rug. They measure 7in tall and 4 in wide. Not suitable for children and should be treated as a fragile object.

Dreaming of a better future - $110

Both figurines were hand sculpted and cannot be separated. Both have glass eyes. The pattern on the dress duplicates the Al Qatt Al Asiri geometrical art painting from the Kingdom’s Asir region. Her albaya has highlights created by Pearl Ex powders. This figurine comes with a mini 7x4 in. woven Turkish rug. They measure 7in tall and 4 in wide. Not suitable for children and should be treated as a fragile object.

The spark to create figurines representing the Saudi Arabian culture was born out of frustration in not finding unique souvenirs of the Kingdom. My choices and baggage allowance were limited: Oil too greasy, sand too heavy, and gold too expensive. During a repat trip to the U.S, I discovered polymer clay and it became my passion. I worked at Aramco as a nursing supervisor/nurse educator but this clay ignited my hidden artist. These figurines soon sold at craft shows in the Eastern Province and were showcased at Desert Designs. I expanded my artwork to include larger pieces such as the 3 Wise Kings on camels and participated in the Dhahran Fine Art show for several years. Several customers who took the figurines to their home countries reported using them as a tool to teach others about the beauty and hospitality of Saudi Arabia.

The one-of-a-kind figurines are hand sculpted from polymer clay over a strong armature, including wired hands to hold objects. They are made to last for years if treated with care.

They average 8 to 10 inches tall. They have glass eyes They can also be created without facial features. Each face is crafted under magnification. Females have eye makeup and textured abaya edges. Henna designs decorate their hands. Handbags can be created to match their outfit. For males, the ghuttra is available in the red/white checkered pattern or white. The thobe can be any color.

Huda no nonsense attitude - $55

The lady's body language needs no interpreting. She is fully sculpted. Her clothing has a textured design and highlighted with Pearl Ex powders. Her chains are jewelry findings. The head piece is a combination of beads. Henna design decorates her hands. She stands on a Turkish woven mini rug which is included with the figurine. She is 7 inches tall. She would look great paired with another Arab male.

Amal the Emirati basket weaver - $50

This lady represents an Emirati Bedouin woman. She is sitting down weaving a basket. The entire piece is hand sculpted. Her hands and arms are wired. . Her eyes are glass. She wears a necklace made from Yemeni beads. Her albaya is highlighted with Pearl Ex powders. The basket is textured and created with blended clay colors. She sits on Turkish woven 6"x4" mini rug.

I love creating custom made pieces for customers using objects collected in my travels. These include miniature coffee pots, miniature Turkish rugs, Bedouin beads, leather camels, and Indian silk fabrics.

Today I am proud to call myself an Aramco retiree and with each figurine I create, I relive the memories of my 25 years in the KSA and the wonderful people living there. Through my artwork, I want to also enrich yours.

Please contact me with a detailed request to [email protected]. I will do my best to create a unique figurine or large doll to add to your international treasures. Please view the gallery of available figurines on my website stores: https://amazon.com/shops/expattraveldolls/ and the larger dolls at http://etsy.com/expattraveldolls.