Mangour – Making a "Letter" in Wood

The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts (KFSTA), a core charity of His Majesty King Charles III, furthers his vision of fostering appreciation for the universal values underlying the world’s great art traditions. The school’s teaching emphasizes that understanding traditional arts is inseparable from understanding the natural order and humankind’s place within it.
KFSTA has pioneered postgraduate education rooted in practice, offering Masters and Doctoral degrees in the UK and extending its ethos through public Open Programme courses and international Outreach Programmes. Over the last 30 years, the school has expanded its reach, with programs in over 20 countries, and established centers for long-term education in Egypt, Azerbaijan, China, and Saudi Arabia.

Kawthar AlSayed is passionate about learning arts and crafts, especially traditional ones, because they combine creativity with preserving heritage. She joined the Building Arts and Crafts Intermediate Diploma program in Jeddah’s historical district, graduating in the first cohort in 2023, gaining a deep understanding of various traditional crafts such as wood & plaster carving, natural pigments and painting, carpentry and Mangour. Currently, she works as a teaching assistant at the school, where she has managed to merge her passion with her academic work focusing on her wood carving practice. 

Suzan Alhout is an interior designer with a passion for Islamic Architecture and art. Suzan holds a Bachelor’s degree from the American University in Jeddah in Interior Design and is a graduate of the Intermediate Diploma in Building Arts and Crafts from the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts (2023). Following graduation, Suzan became a teaching assistant at the School for the academic year 2023–2024. Suzan is interested in traditional arts, drawing, design, and handcrafts, especially woodwork.

Rana Tashkandi is a Designer and an Educator working with King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts in the Royal Institute of Traditional Art in Jeddah, specifically teaching the art of Mangour design and making. She has participated in various traditional crafts workshops, including Mangour Design & Making, Wood Carving, Gypsum Carving, Ceramic Tiles, and Natural Pigment Making. She holds a Master’s degree in Islamic Art and a Bachelor’s degree in Islamic Art Education from King Abdul-Aziz University and is a graduate of the Prince’s Foundation Jameel House of Traditional Arts one-year program.