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

Maysa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

Despite growing up in a family of artists, I have consistently tried to distance myself from pursuing a career in the arts. The prevailing belief in my upbringing was that a career in the arts was not a practical or realistic option, largely due to the stereotype of “starving artists.” Consequently, despite my deep passion for drawing and painting, I made the decision to break ties with art when I entered high school. Taking a significant detour, I opted for a career in Speech and Language Pathology.

Fast forward to my last year of college, where I found myself waking up each day with a sense of dread about seeing patients and realizing how much I despised every moment in that career path. It was during one winter morning that I woke up with a crucial question in mind: Did I want to continue living in misery for the rest of my life? Contemplating the purpose of my life, I eventually chose to trust my instinct and pursue my long-standing desire to become a professional artist.

It’s been 16 years since that pivotal morning, and I am confident that I made the correct choice. Each day, I wake up with the exhilarating anticipation of deciding what to create next.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Maysa Bogheiri, and I am an Iranian American watercolor painter with a passion for surrealism. Despite resisting the pull towards a career as a fine artist for most of my life, I ventured into various fields such as speech therapy and animation. Eventually, I found my way back to my true calling—painting and drawing. My artistic focus predominantly revolves around female subjects, presenting a journey of self-expression and introspection. Drawing inspiration from personal memories, emotions, and the subconscious, my creations aim to emanate both darkness and beauty.

The process of creation is highly intuitive for me. Without a fully fleshed-out plan, images spontaneously emerge in my mind, prompting me to sketch them out. I allow the paintings themselves to guide the choices of color and composition, relying on my emotions and instincts rather than a predetermined blueprint.
I find solace in painting in complete isolation, often without any accompanying music, immersing myself in the creative process and losing all sense of time.
Since embarking on my professional artistic journey, my work has been showcased in multiple galleries, and I have been featured in several magazines.

Beyond traditional artworks, I have collaborated as a digital color artist with my husband on our ongoing graphic novel series titled “Ravenus”, currently available on Amazon Kindle and Apple Books.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Raised in Iran under the current oppressive regime, I acquired the habit from a young age of self-censoring my thoughts and words to evade severe consequences. Unfortunately, this learned behavior has subtly infiltrated my creative process, an ongoing struggle even after several years of residing in the USA. This is why I am a staunch advocate for artistic freedom of expression. I am actively involved in an initiative called “Banned Art Collective”, collaborating with like-minded artists to counter the increasing scrutiny many artists encounter from social media platforms and certain galleries.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I derive great joy from seeing my inner thoughts and emotions come to life in the physical world. Additionally, there’s a profound connection forged through unspoken words, as people react to and connect with my paintings. Witnessing individuals explore their inner worlds and uncover personal meanings within my creations adds to the fulfillment of this creative journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maysabogheiri.com
• Instagram: bogheiriart
• Other: https://www.amazon.com/RAVENUS-David-M-Sutton-II-ebook/dp/B09HJDBG53/ref=sr_1_3?crid=36MKW5QADTD7N&keywords=ravenus&qid=1701999413&sprefix=ravens%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-3