Artist Ben Saber discovered his artistic talent at a young age during elementary school when his teacher invited him to perform chalk drawing demonstrations in the classroom.
Born in French Algeria, Saber is fluent in both French and English.
While residing in Seattle, Ben Saber painted a variety of landscapes throughout Washington State. He traveled extensively, capturing the beauty of parks, mountains, and the coastline. One cold winter day, while painting in a park, a resident from Lahaina suggested he visit Maui. He heeded the advice, traveled to Lahaina, and made it his winter home. There, he became a member of the Lahaina Art Society, selling his artwork under the banyan tree and in local galleries. During the summer months, he would return to Washington to paint the snow-capped mountains.
Ben Saber grew up in a family of artists. His father was a master of portraiture and calligraphy, and although his brothers possessed artistic talent, none pursued art professionally.
In high school, Saber was invited to apprentice with his art teacher in the studio during summer vacations. After some training, demand for his artwork grew, primarily from relatives and neighbors seeking local landscapes and portraits.
At the age of 25, he immigrated to the USA. After traveling through several states, he settled in Seattle, spending his winters in Lahaina, Maui.
In America, Ben Saber committed to realizing his childhood dream of becoming an artist. In Seattle, he attended summer art classes at the University of Washington, studying under talented artists like Jacob Lawrence. He gained invaluable knowledge that enhanced his painting skills, but much of his growth came from painting outdoors as a plein-air artist. This approach allowed him to capture the changing light and scenery throughout the day and seasons. Nature has always been, and remains, his greatest teacher.
After three years, the back-and-forth between locations disrupted his creative flow, leading him to stay permanently in Lahaina. However, the island eventually gave him cabin fever, prompting a move to Kingsville, Texas, where he set up an art studio in his home. He created instructional videos for YouTube, becoming a pioneer in online painting instruction at a time when YouTube did not compensate content creators. He initially used the platform to promote himself to a wider audience. Eventually, he generated a significant income from his YouTube channel, amassing hundreds of thousands of subscribers. With the help of Google, he translated his videos into 40 languages, and he speaks four languages himself.
In 2013, he returned to Seattle and established an art studio in downtown. He continued to travel to Lahaina, joining a gallery that unfortunately burned down in the Lahaina fire. Artist Ben Saber continues to paint in both Washington State and Hawaii. His work is exclusively available at Enchantress and Freeborne Gallery in The Shops at Wailea.
James Freeborne and Ben share a long history.
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