Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sara Amirkhani. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sara, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

Yes, I am undoubtedly happier as an artist. But that doesn’t mean I’ve never questioned the path I chose. In high school, I studied mathematics for four years and was a strong, successful student. My family and even I, at times, imagined I would follow in my father’s footsteps and become a successful engineer.
However, after graduating, I made a bold and difficult decision, to follow my passion and study painting in college. It was a choice that challenged both me and my family. The questioning part of me stayed with me for years after that decision, especially during transitional periods. For example, between finishing my BFA and starting my MFA, I watched many of my peers settle into office jobs, seemingly secure in their careers. I often wondered, what if I had studied something else? What if I had taken a more conventional path?
But through it all, I remained resilient and committed to my goal of becoming an artist. And today, I can honestly say I’m grateful I did.
Being an artist has been deeply rewarding. It means that every day is filled with creative exploration. Yes, there are challenges, but when I compare my creative life to the routine of a traditional job, I feel fulfilled and alive. I work hard, and I see the direct impact of that work in my personal growth and artistic development. Even in conversations with peers in other fields, many express boredom or discouragement about their work. In contrast, my days are full of discovery, excitement, and a sense of purpose.

Sara, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Sara Amirkhani, and I’m an Iranian artist and designer based in Los Angeles. My creative journey has taken shape through a deep commitment to visual storytelling and material experimentation. I received my MFA in Art, with a concentration in Drawing and Painting, from Penn State University, where I also taught studio art courses.
I draw significant inspiration from the theatrical lighting, set design, and spatial illusions of classic Hollywood cinema. Through these visual languages, I explore themes of constructed reality, truth, performance, and perception.
My art practice combines sculpture, photography, and installation, with a focus on small-scale, three-dimensional still-life collages that are meticulously constructed and photographed. In my recent solo exhibition, Sunset Boulevard (2024), held at Zoller Gallery, I presented a body of work that delves into the tension between artifice and reality.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes, absolutely. My creative journey is driven by a desire to explore how the reality can be constructed and experienced. I’m deeply interested in the tension between what is real and what is performed, and how environments, especially staged or artificial ones, can shape our perceptions, memories, and identities.
At the heart of my work is a commitment to storytelling through form, light, and space. Whether I’m building sets or capturing them through photography, I aim to create atmospheric worlds that invite reflection and pause. My mission is to create work that not only captures beauty but also encourages viewers to question the layers beneath it, to consider how reality can be composed, edited, or staged, much like a scene in a film.
Ultimately, I want my work to offer a sense of stillness in a fast-paced world, a moment of quiet curiosity, where viewers can reconnect with their own imagination and interior life.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

One thing non-creatives often struggle to understand is that creativity isn’t just about talent or inspiration. It takes courage. It means being vulnerable in public, risking rejection, and continuing anyway. What keeps me going is not certainty, but a quiet, persistent belief that art can shape how we see ourselves and the world. And that, to me, is worth everything.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://saraamirkhani.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.amirkhani/

Image Credits

All images by Sara Amirkhani