Farahnaz Samari

Biography

* Born in Iran * Immigration to Canada on June 2009 * Resident of North Vancouver, BC

Artist Statement

Art, for me, has always been a perfect getaway from a routinized life, or shall I say, an inner journey to the deeps of my spirit. I love to experience, and Art is that sole experience which has always pushed me to the unknown and complex realms of colour, design, composition, shapes and forms. I am truly grateful for being born with the love for Art, to be able to have a transparent view of all the beauty and of course, the hideousness of the world that surrounds me; since I believe that this universe is a complex of contrasts, the same way as we are, and the human beings are stimulated to look deeper and to perceive the miracles of life by the subtle arrangement of all these contrasts. In my opinion, Art in every society is directly influenced by the current and ongoing cultural and social conditions there, and without any doubt, when a society is under a constant political autocracy and humanitarian oppression, its reflection will influence the art and artists of that society, and the artworks will inevitably manifest the deepest concerns of artists about all the pains and predicaments and ugliness around them. By nature, I have always been influenced by the society and the environment that I was living in. After coming to Canada, and living in this beautiful city, my artworks were affected by all the mesmerizing landscapes and the wonderful nature which surrounds me. Whenever I walk at the seaside, I start to imagine myself floating in a world of dreams, down in the water, up in the skies, getting warm by the sun, being protected by the clouds, and relaxing on a bed full of leaves and trees and flowers, and there is no better way for me but to put all my feelings on a canvas. In my new series of paintings, after coming to Vancouver, I tried to demonstrate my inner feelings in an abstract form.

Art Education

* Interior Design Diploma from Tehran University * Private Painting courses and workshops in Iran (Oil - Watercolor - Acrylic - Drawing and Sketching) * Make-Up Artistry Certificate from Iran * Make-Up Artistry courses at Vancouver Community College

Awards

* Volunteer Painting Teacher for Terminally-ill children in MAHAK (Society to Support children suffering from Cancer in Iran) in special consultative status with economic and social council of UN * Volunteer Instructor and Benefactor Artist of TAVANYAB Children and Youth protection society (Orphans affected by AIDS) * Member of the Institution for Promotion of Visual Arts – Iran * Member of North Vancouver Community Art Council * Two Solo Exhibitions (Modern Painting) in Iran * Participation in more than 25 Group Painting Exhibitions in Iran * Participation in 3 Group Painting Exhibitions in CityScape Community Art Space * Participation in the Group Exhibition “For the love of colour” in January 2012 at Ferry Building Gallery (Ambleside, West Vancouver)