b.1982, Minneapolis, MN
Raised in the historic city of Isfahan, Iran
Currently lives and works in Edwardsville, IL

EDUCATION

2008 MFA, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), (with honors)
Providence, RI
Area of Concentration – Painting

2008, Brown University, Sheridan Center Collegiate Teaching Certificate
Providence, RI
*Year-long program in best practices and reflective teaching

2004 BFA, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE)
Edwardsville, IL
Major - Art and Design
Major Area of Concentration - Drawing
Minor Area of Concentration - Graphic Design

2000, University of Maryland
College Park, MD

HONORS / RECOGNITIONS

2010 Award of Excellence, No.1 EAC All Media Juried Competition Exhibition, Edwardsville Arts Center, Edwardsville, IL
2008-2009 Fulbright Full Grant Fellowship Award
*One academic-year research in Islamic Art and Architecture in Cairo, Egypt
Host County Affiliation:
Faculty of Archaeology, Cairo University
2008 Rhode Island School of Design, Graduated with ‘Honors’
* Students graduate with cumulative GPA 3.75 or higher graduate with Honors.
Spring 2007 - Spring 2008 Rhode Island School of Design, Designated 'Honor Student' in Recognition of 'Excellent Performance' during three Semesters
Fall 2006- Spring 2008 Rhode Island School of Design, Graduate Fellowships
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Dean's List three semesters

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES

Faculty Lecturer, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL August 2010 - Present

Gallery Assistant, Memorial Hall Painting Gallery, RISD 2007 - 2008

*Worked with the painting department, artists, and curators to manage and install exhibitions in the RISD painting department newly built Memorial Hall Gallery.

Teaching Assistant, Junior Painting, RISD 2008
Teaching Assistant, Foundations in Color, RISD 2007
Teaching Assistant, Experiments in Drawing, RISD 2007
Teaching Assistant, Sophomore Drawing, RISD 2006

*Teaching Assistantships
Working with the RISD faculty as a Teaching Assistant in different courses, ranging from foundations to advanced undergraduate courses in painting and drawing, and by participating in every critique session, engaging in deep critical dialogue with students, giving feedback on students’ work, and managing classroom equipments and demonstration materials.

LECTURES/SEMINARS

2009 Visiting Artist Lecturer, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2010 Blink, Art St. Louis Gallery, St. Louis, MO
2010 No.1 EAC All Media Juried Competition Exhibition, Edwardsville Arts Center, Edwardsville, IL
2009 Never Think Small, Climate/Gallery, Long Island, NY
2008 Graduate Thesis Exhibition, RI Convention Center, Providence, RI
2007 Painting Department Exhibition, Woods-Gerry Gallery, RISD Providence, RI
2007 SwapMeet, The Ice Box, Philadelphia, PA
2004 B.F.A. Group Exhibition, New Wagner Gallery, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL
2002 Earth Day display, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL
2001 Peace Day event, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP / COMMUNITY SERVICES

Artist Teacher, Arts in the Park, Edwardsville, IL Summer 2010
*Arts in the Park is a weekly summer arts program for children funded by the City of Edwardsville and coordinated by the Jacoby Arts Center.
College Art Association, Member Since January 2009
Artwork Donations to Friends of Art Annual Art Auction, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL 2005
*Friends of Art is an annual auction and primary fund raising event for SIUE Art and Design Department

EXHIBITION REVIEWS and CITATIONS

Albanese, Robert. “Exploring the World.” Risdviews 2 July 2008: 53.
Spaid, Sue. "SWAP/meet: Where Older Critics Greet Younger Artists." 12 Aug. 2007 <http://www.temple.edu/tyler/swapmeet/essays.html>.
Cutler, Meredith. ““Welcome to the Conversation”: RISD Graduate Thesis Exhibition, Part 4.” 2 June. 2008 <http://www.meredithcutler.com/blog/studiodebris/review-welcome-to-the-conversation-risd-graduate-thesis-exhibition-part-4-02-06-08>.

LANGUAGES

English
Farsi
Intermediate Arabic