Cairo's doodling dentist cashing-in on her passion for art

From dentist to doodler, Manar al-Sharqawi sells her artworks when she is not busy tending to patients at her Cairo clinic.

She gives her doodling as much attention as she does her patients.

Her work is made up of beautiful symbolically drawn art that captivates many viewers.

Manar is passionate about her art.

“I would really like to grow in this field because I’m very passionate about it and it brings you inner peace. I feel free to do whatever I want, there’s no right or wrong, you know, it goes as it is, with the flow, and sometimes I challenge myself, for example if I mess something up, I don’t throw it out, I try to fix it my own way. I’ll try to mend it. So it’s interesting, because for me, nothing will be thrown out, I take, finish it and fix it,” she told Reuters.

The young artist hopes to swap her dentist’s chair for the drawing board someday, working full time customising accessories, kitchenware and clothing.

What started out as a creative hobby has now become a blossoming business for Manar who has been commissioned to doodle on the walls of a variety of Egyptian companies.

Manar’s work can be seen across the country. She has been commissioned by Cairo-based educational service, Creative Hub, as well as a popular North Coast eatery Lemon Tree, and a local school.

She further told Reuters about her art that has been excelling since she started.

“It’s very very relaxing, like when you draw a mandala, it has its own style, there are no guidelines to follow. It’s just a circle that expands, any size, any media. It doesn’t matter, and they are unique. Each one is different from the other, I don’t make another one like it, and that’s why I never get bored.”

The price for her work varies depending on the intricacy of the design and colours used, with the price of some basic doodles starting from around $168.