We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Parinaz Ziai Bahadori a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Parinaz Ziai, 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?

I had been a practicing architect for 25 years, but always took art classes on the side as a hobby. For my fiftieth birthday, I decided to treat myself to a watercolor workshop in Morocco. A week before the trip, my beloved father passed away , but my mother kindly encouraged me to go on the trip anyway. Naturally I thought of my mortality and how I hoped to spend the next decades of my life – if I would be lucky enough to live as long as my father. I knew that I wanted to continue being as creative as possible and not just in an occasional class. Upon my return, I purchased my parents’ home which had a run-down barn on it. I renovated the barn and closed my architecture practice. Now I create art in the barn but also teach workshops to people who have often been discouraged at a young age from making art. Eleven years have passed and I don’t regret the decision even one day!

Parinaz Ziai, 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?

I started out painting still lifes and landscapes. I still enjoy painting those once in a while. But my main inspiration these past twelve years has been the words in songs and poetry – particularly Persian poetry. I am originally from Iran and there is a very rich tradition of reciting poetry to describe the universal truths of life. I often use these words – both for their meaning as well as their shapes – in my acrylic and mixed media pieces.

Fonts, letters, and plays on words all appeal to me as well. The past year, I have been creating a daily collage using the word PEACE cut out from magazines and junk mail. I decided to sell these daily collages/ meditations with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the World Central Kitchen. I am thrilled to report that I have raised close to 7000 dollars just using the papers that would otherwise end up in the recycling bin!

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

The ability to create something that is unique brings me a lot of pleasure. But, even more satisfying is when someone else connects to it – when they want to know more about a piece. I also love to share what I’ve learned – whether it is a new technique or how I approach a new blank canvas. Each project is different, but I want to demystify the process and encourage others to be creative as well.

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

I feel like my mission is to build bridges between me and the viewer of my work. Hopefully I first create a piece that is beautiful enough that they will be curious and want to spend time with it. The next layer would be to understand the meaning behind the words on my canvas. I feel like Persian poetry is one of the most beautiful traditions of this ancient civilization and the words in the poetry are timeless. If I can bring them to life for someone who is curious, then I have fulfilled an important part of my mission as an artist.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ParinazArt.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parinazziaibahadori
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/parinazartshowcase
• Linkedin: Parinaz Ziai Bahadori

Image Credits

Studio Headshot of Parinaz Ziai Bahadori was taken by Malek Naz Freidouni