Oil rig worker by day and painter in oils by night

Saji Karunakaran works by day as a rigger for the Gulf Piping Company in Abu Dhabi. He spends his evenings painting canvases in his labour camp. To find out more about Saji's story and to see a video of him in action, visit www.thenational.ae/saji

Saji Karunakaran works as a rigger for the Gulf Piping Company in Abu Dhabi. He spends his days fastening equipment to oil rigs under construction, and his evenings painting canvases in his labour camp. His talent came to light earlier this year, when a friend took one of his paintings to a human resources officer at the company. The National has commissioned him to paint a series of Eid celebration cards, from which these images are taken. To find out more about Saji's story and to see a video of him in action, visit www.thenational.ae/saji.