My Davidson | A Student Blog We're All Artists in this Exhibit

In the hopes of connecting with my heritage and learning my family’s native language, I am studying Arabic. In class, we learn about both Arabic culture and language.

In fall, we attended an art studio session with Lebanese artist Elie Bou Zeidan. In the interactive exhibit, he interpreted the work of a renowned French artist, Philippe Giraudo. Excited to connect more with Arabic and French art and culture, I had eagerly signed up. This Arab Studies and French and Francophone Studies art collaboration with Studio Elie and Giraudo Signature Class was sponsored by DACE (Davidson Arts & Creative Engagement).

I was unsure what to expect when I walked into Bou Zeidan’s studio. I assumed I would be learning about Arabic and French art and art history. To my surprise, I saw my classmates sitting, drawing, and laughing. I realized that we would learn how to create art inspired by Giraudo rather than just study it—and that I would paint. We each chose from the small posters of Giraudo’s paintings and tried to recreate the one that most inspired us. I have never been artistically inclined, but the opportunity arose, and I took it.

Each student received brushes, paint, a pencil, and a canvas, and we carefully sketched and planned our drawings before adding color. As we worked, Bou Zeidan played Arabic music and walked around, teaching us about Giraudo’s life and the Provence region, and offering advice on our sketches. We mixed colors, experimented with painting techniques, and learned the nuances of brush movement. We looked at each other’s paintings, exchanging compliments and encouragement, and humbly insisted we weren’t ‘good’ at art. Mistakes became part of the fun, and we laughed together when lines didn’t go as planned. This supportive atmosphere pushed everyone to keep going, and by the end, each of us felt proud of our finished piece, no matter how close it came to the original painting.

Bou Zeidan spoke to us only in Arabic, encouraging us to practice the language while we painted. With the students in French and Francophone Studies, he spoke only in French. His humility and empathy were evident as he generously shared his perspectives on Giraudo’s art. This combination of language and art offered a new perspective on Arabic, allowing us to use it conversationally and creatively.  This also added an extra challenge, as we quickly realized that communication could be just as tricky as painting.

A few days later, we went back to the studio for a showcase of our paintings. At first, I thought my piece looked out of place next to Giraudo’s and Bou Zeidan’s canvases, but visitors and professional artists looked at it and asked about my process and inspiration. Children from the French Club at Lydia Fergison’s North Academy of World Languages had also conducted an art workshop inspired by Giraudo’s art, and their work was displayed along with students’ in Arab Studies and French and Francophone Studies. This community outreach and joint exhibition further reinforced the idea that art is for everyone; when people saw my painting, they didn’t see it as out of place but simply as art. This experience gave me a newfound confidence to engage in more creative outlets.

One of the things I love most about a liberal arts education is the chance to explore so many different fields in one setting. This experience allowed me to develop new skills in art while fully immersing myself in Arabic culture through language, food, and music. The Arab Studies Department at Davidson has created such a vibrant and welcoming community—one that is truly alive with a love for culture, creativity, and connection. Being part of this environment has been inspiring, and I am excited to see where future experiences at Davidson will take me.