Mozhy's Story
I totally love to do painting from my imagination to express ideas, feelings, emotions, and pains.
My Iranian Days: I was born into a loving home in Tehran, Iran but my formative years were spent in the city of Esfahan, located in central Iran. This beautiful city is known for its architecture, its beautiful mosaic domes & minarets, and its vibrant art and handicraft culture. As a young child, I had a passion for colours and painting, and my parents indulged me by providing me with paper & cardboard & any other canvases that they could find. Later at school, my teachers and my fellow students were encouraged of my art skills, and I entered many art competitions (and won). I was always volunteering to help at art and craft events at school. One of my most treasured admirers was my aunt who owned a Beauty Salon in Esfahan. When I was in my teen years, she allowed me to hang many of my paintings & drawings in her Salon where I received recognition and accolades.
During my formative years, I had the privilege of being exposed to many positive influences and tutored by skilled teachers. As a young teenager, I was interested in reading poetry, especially Hafez and Omar Khayaam. This interest in poetry opened the door to a new and exciting art form — Persian miniature. I started to take classes with Bahram Taheri, an Art teacher at Honarestan Honarhaye Ziba which is a well-recognized and valued art school in Esfahan. Bahram was instrumental in teaching me Persian miniature, Tazhib art, and painting with watercolor and oil color. He also tutored me on how to draw the human body in all its beauty, simplicity and yet complexity.
As for my formal education, after graduating from high school, I was accepted at Esfahan University where I obtained a Bachelor Degree in teaching English. I then went on to the University of Najaf Abad to obtain a master’s Degree in teaching English.
During my time at the Esfahan University, while I was pursuing my bachelor’s degree, I did enter an Art Exhibition for university students and submitted two of my Persian miniatures and Tazhib pieces. All the pieces received positive pre-show feedback and I was excited to see them displayed. To my great dismay, on “Opening Day” — I could not find any of my works hanging at the Art Show. Upon making inquiries from authorities, I was told that my pieces had been removed because the women I had painted in my pieces were not appropriately clothed in ‘the proper hijab’. This was a defining moment in my life as a young Iranian woman — the reality that I did not have the freedom to express myself in a creative, uncensored, open & equal manner — was literally “crushing to my soul”. I put down my art brushes for some years after that.
I got married to a lovely supportive Iranian man and we had two children. I was very busy as a full-time wife, mother, and I taught English at the Secondary School level in our hometown of Esfahan. Once the children got a little older and were busy at elementary school, I was able to free up some “me-time” again and I did return to my love of ART. I enrolled in art classes taught by Hojjat Poursina who exposed me to new techniques like charcoal, pastel, and color pencils.
With my return to my love of art, while still teaching English at the secondary school level, I was given the opportunity to teach fine arts and digital arts to high school students who had an interest & a passion for creative expression. This was very motivating and allowed me to develop my own skills in photoshop, multimedia, and fine arts.
Sometimes my painting is only the expressions of a landscape or a bunch of flowers. Sometimes it is an interaction of colours that evoke emotions, feelings, and moods.
My Canadian Days:
My Canadian Days:In 2016, our family made the life changing decision to immigrate to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. We up-rooted two teenagers and ourselves and started our lives anew. The first five years of our lives in Canada was a huge “learning curve” as we navigated new jobs, new schools for our children, new culture, developing new friends, etc. It was stressful for all members of the family, even though we loved our new country and knew that it would get better.
Little by little as our family has assimilated more into the Canadian way of life and things are smoother, I have begun to paint & draw again. I now realize how my “art” is exactly what I need to heal all my emotions and to give value to my cross-culture journey.
I started exploring colors without considering any specific subject matter. I started with pouring techniques, and it was such a joyful & calming experience. This has opened the creative ‘door’ to abstract painting using both knives and brush strokes as well as texture techniques and multimedia. As for painting, my life experiences are now broader and more diverse with a cross cultural slant between two worlds.
Little by little as our family has assimilated more into the Canadian way of life and things are smoother, I have begun to paint & draw again. I now realize how my “art” is exactly what I need to heal all my emotions and to give value to my cross-culture journey.
I started exploring colors without considering any specific subject matter. I started with pouring techniques, and it was such a joyful & calming experience. This has opened the creative ‘door’ to abstract painting using both knives and brush strokes as well as texture techniques and multimedia. As for painting, my life experiences are now broader and more diverse with a cross cultural slant between two worlds.