"The ' my craft 2023' exhibition, organized by the Asharqia Chamber at Dhahran Expo, witnessed a growing turnout from the residents and visitors of the Eastern region. The event, which continues until Saturday, September 2nd, has attracted people due to the skillful and handcrafted products offered by participating families, craftsmen, and artisans.
'Sanati' continues to welcome visitors who are drawn to the exhibits showcased by participants, whether in crafts, handicrafts, decorations, accessories, woolen clothing, perfumes, or spices.
Asharqia Chamber ensured that this year's exhibition included 324 marketing booths, each featuring a collection of specialized sections. Additionally, there is a section dedicated to associations and developmental centers that support productive families, craftsmen, and artisans. There is also a special corner for children where they engage in various activities such as drawing, games, physical activities, and electronics.
Tree Recycling"
Among the distinguished sections, the Crafts and Handicrafts section stands out, encompassing around 150 booths where artisans showcase their artistic creations and present high-quality products in terms of design and craftsmanship. A standout booth is "Aabith Khoush" which offers artistic masterpieces ranging from dining and coffee tables to incense burners, trays, dishes, and even pens – all crafted from natural tree woods such as olive, acacia, and local palm trees.
The owner of the booth, Ali Abdullah Al Shomli, shares that he has had a passion for woodworking since childhood. He has a deep enthusiasm for wooden work. He started contemplating how to present distinctive items and came up with the idea of recycling cut tree woods or those destined for burning into artistic masterpieces. With the encouragement of family, friends, and followers, he has gained a wide customer base across various regions of the kingdom. He expresses his hope to expand further and establish an international clientele network by exporting his works beyond the borders of the kingdom.
"Art of Knotting"
From "Aabith Khoush" to "Dhaha Akhdar," the owner of the "Art of Mokramiat" booth, presents products inspired by the art of knotting, an authentic Arabian art form. The name "Dhaha Akhdar" is derived from this art form, according to her, as all her creations are made without the use of needles. All stages of her work are limited to hand-knotting alone. She learned this art from a Mexican family with Native American origins during her studies in Canada.
She mentions that the art of knotting is incorporated into various household items, as well as being used in making fishing nets. She introduced this technique into crafting hanging chairs, suspended tree nets, bag straps, and many other products.
She is keen on spreading the art of knotting among young girls by organizing training courses for those interested in practicing this craft. She notes that she has successfully trained around 210 trainees with disabilities, teaching them various aspects of the craft and providing suitable mechanisms for acquiring the skill.
"A World of Stories"
In the booths dedicated to perfumes, coffee, and spices, visitors find themselves immersed in a world filled with details, passion, ambition, and positive efforts to present high-quality and meticulously crafted products. The creators of spices have captured the attention of visitors, especially those seeking cleverly blended spices with delightful flavors. These creators skillfully craft a wide range of spices, and the enthusiasm they exhibit is apparent in their expertly made products.
Likewise, there is a growing interest in vendors offering coffee blends. These vendors express their happiness to participate in the exhibition, praising the organizers for the arrangement, coordination, and prompt response to their requests. The booth owners specializing in perfumes also catch the eyes of visitors as they showcase a variety of Arabian and Western perfume blends. A common trait among all of them is their passion to establish their fragrances as "registered trademarks under their names."
In the same context, participants commend the well-organized setup that allowed them to display their products in more engaging ways. One of the crochet and knitting booth owners noted that the exhibition provided her with an opportunity to showcase her handmade products to a larger audience. She mentioned her dedication to knitting for a while now and praised the occasional training workshops that contribute to developing her craft. She hopes her dream of having a complete knitting workshop will come true.
"Strengthening Local Products"
Among the booths and wandering among the diverse sections, we collected opinions from some visitors. Mohammed Abdullah expresses his surprise at what he has witnessed, particularly in terms of the arrangement of the booths, their number, and the variety of their products. He mentions that he's accustomed to visiting exhibitions of local artisanal products, but he finds a new identity being established in this edition that solidifies the concept of local artisanal products. He emphasizes that most of his acquisitions come from exhibitions of local artisanal products, highlighting his high confidence in their products due to the intricate details in their craftsmanship that are not found elsewhere.
He underscores the comprehensiveness of the exhibition and appreciates the presence of a designated and secure area for young children. He also mentions that he has purchased many products, particularly the artisanal ones.
