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I have a delectable feast for the eyes for you: the paintings of Soraya Tohidi. Below is a small sampling of her work based on her Instagram posts, as well as her words about herself, about her art, and the centrality of artistic expression to her life. I hope you enjoy it!
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My mother was a Catholic missionary from Quebec (Canada) before she became a Baha’i. She was also an artist and musician; we did art together from the moment I could hold a pencil. My father is Persian and an inventor and I was born in a small village in Congo. We later moved to Laos where my mother opened an art gallery, and where I started selling my art. At 16 I went to China alone and fell in love with its art and culture. Since than I have lived and travelled to other countries and I am blessed to call the world my home, as each country has a special place in my heart.
Could you please tell us a little about your art?
My art to me, is about the joy of being alive and letting my inner child out to play. So I make a mess and I have fun, then I search for the beauty in the chaos and I go from there. I paint to transform the murkiness and sadness I see and feel from the world, and try to bring hope and joy through colours.
I love painting flowers and especially lotus flowers, because out of the most murky polluted smelling waters, grows these perfect beautiful flowers representing purity; to me they bring hope.
What inspires you to create?
Painting is a journey that starts with my feelings and emotions. They are my medium, they conduct my paint strokes, and influence my choices of colours.
My canvas is the mirror of my journey, my transformation and my search. A the core are the Baha’i writings, guiding and inspiring my journey.
What media do you use?
I use acrylic on canvas and sometimes I do paper collage.
Why is creativity and artistic expression important to you? Or important to the world?
Art is a part of who I am, it is a need just like needing food. You can say it feeds my heart and soul. When I look at art, music, dancing, sculpting, they all bring beauty, creativity, imagination, joy and colour to the world. Without them it is like having a garden with no flowers.
Thank you, Soraya! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us!
See more of Soraya’s works on her Instagram channel or by visiting her website.
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