Similar to learning different languages, knowing a type of art helps you learn a new one. For example, if you know how to draw with a pencil, you can extend it to drawing with a soldering iron on wood. I think creating art has helped me keep my creativity alive, develop delicate hand movements and interact with my abilities.
In my original artworks, I start with a feeling or a basic idea and leave the rest to my hands. That is why I never know how the final piece will look, but that is unpredictability makes it unique and resonates with others on an unconscious level.
I customise clothes I buy to my favour. For example, the painting on my rust-coloured overcoat was inspired by my bag in the photo, this bag is handmade by villagers from Kandovan village in East Azerbaijan, a province in northwest of Iran.
These photos were taken in different cities of Iran, The roots suspended above the ground belong to an ancient sacred fig tree in Qeshm island. The mountain background of my triangled overcoat features ancient caves carved with basic tools, also located in Qeshm island. The river behind my black overcoat with red and gold style is Aras that divides north-west of Iran from neighbour countries. The clay walls behind my rust overcoat belong to the historic Riab village.
Fabric Painting
Painting on fabric or leather is always a unique challenge because each material responds differently to dye. Each section of my paintings could stand alone as a model. For example, the gold patterns on the black scarf could be magnified and used on separate garments.
On the blue scarf, one side depicts a galaxy, representing a distant world, while the other side features soft, floating cubes made to look different due to the mohair material of the scarf. I chose the galaxy theme because the blue with a slight green tint created a perfect backdrop for stars. However, I must admit that my unconscious mind led the way, and my conscious mind only interpreted the design afterward.
For the red skirt, I set out to paint a simple butterfly and flower, and my subconscious took over from there.
Every piece of my artwork has a story, but I prefer not to explain them, leaving the interpretation to the observer. To me, art is a language of the soul and doesn’t need to be translated into words. Different people might connect with and understand a piece of art in various ways: someone might connect and understand a piece of art while another doesn’t, similar to talking, people use words but each word has its own interpretation in another person’s mind.
I paint on the front side of my son’s trousers so he can see and enjoy them while wearing them. We choose photos from Pinterest, and I customise them. Taking photos is challenging because my son isn’t always in the mood for taking photos most of the time, so I enjoy capturing moments of him playing.
The butterfly on the green scarf is my first painting on fabric.
Painting on Canvas
This canvas painting took me seven months to complete, as I painted each color whenever I was in the mood for it. Since each part reflects my mood, when I wanted to add to a part I had the challenge of recapturing the same mood. I call this 0.8*1.2 meters painting “Universe” because it includes both elements of nature and emotions. A professional critic once suggested I change the moon and star part as it doesn’t match the rest visually, but I chose to keep it because it represents how I see the night sky: vast, overwhelming, empty, yet full of beauty and order. I should explain that I painted stars similar to sine waves as it is periodical and I like its appearance and its application in electrical engineering, so I understand if someone doesn’t get my point as it is something relevant to my profession. Therefore, in addition to periodic star pattern I painted full moon and its crescent to further depict the rhyme of sky. When I create art, I often don’t know what I’m aiming for until it’s finished, and then I can see its connection to my inner self, so it might even take a while till I fully understand my own work, I know it seems strange. You might have felt that there is female reproductive system in the middle of the painting, I believe I have chosen it to be in the center of my universe as this sensitive and delicate organ is strong enough to create and develop a new life. To reduce the overwhelming of elements I explain that you can see a big wave, vast and active as water and sea creatures on top of it with green life above it. You can also see sun beneath night sky full of movement and warmth. You can find leaves, birds, flowers, and there is also my name written in Persian with brown colour in almost bottom-right corner. Some parts of this painting are merely there to represent a feeling.
Pyrography (Wood Burning)
For most of my wood burnings, I used a model, except for the tall and narrow ones, which are my original designs. Most of these pieces were created in 2015.
Drawing
I use models from different sources and mix them in my drawings here.
These photos were taken years ago, around 2007 and unfortunately, the quality is quite low.
Painting on Different Objects
I paint on anything I find paintable: jars, boxes, even using henna to paint for body art. That is because the tactile experience of painting with/on different materials is delightful. Here are a few examples of these paintings:
For the vase photos, I aimed to capture the essence of nature on my vase. The combination of flower petals and painting is performed on a wall, it was about 2012 that I tried painting on walls with acrylic and I found it amusing but when they repainted it I decided not doing it again as it was difficult for them to remove my painting.
Bags and Shoes Painting
The dark blue bag shown here is a refreshed version of one of my self-made bags under the tab “Bags and Shoes.” The bags I create are durable and last for many years, though their appearance may change over time.
Trying different styles
A coloring sheet from the Student Union table at Heriot-Watt University unexpectedly sparked a coloring project that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Although I favor the fluidity of brushes, I also appreciate the softness of pastels and the wide range of vibrant colors offered by color pencils. The pastel work shown here was completed in 2003.