GET TO KNOW SHEYDA MEHRARA
Q: WHAT INSPIRES YOUR WORK? / WHERE DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FROM?
A: Movies, art coffee table books, interior designers, travel, my persian heritage, my adoration of French culture & history, long walks.
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE COLORS TO WORK WITH?
A: Rich earth tones, but don’t just think rich greens & blues & neutrals. I light up getting to add pops of red, pink, & yellow to pieces. I enjoy the surprise & delight. Just like when those colors find you in nature.
Q: WHAT FEELINGS OR EMOTIONS DO YOU HOPE TO EVOKE FROM OTHERS WITH YOUR WORK?
A: Over the last few years, I have experienced such deep healing through the discipline of art. My art calls for others to use it as a mirror & allow the play between colors & markings to bring forth an emotion they can sit with, listen to.
Q: WHAT DOES YOUR DAY TO DAY LOOK LIKE WITH TWO FULL TIME JOBS?
A: I would be lying to say it was disciplined. Though I am trying. There are some days where I walk past my in-home studio & don’t have the energy to touch a paintbrush. Yet, I give myself grace. Folks often ask if I paint in the evenings to unwind from work, but what I have to explain is that art as cathartic as it can be, is work. You are breaking down your understanding of yourself & the world around you.
When I paint & I can get into flow, I’ll paint for hours without even looking at the clock. The release at the end of those sessions are always worth getting back into the studio for.
The most important thing is to stay curious & allow that curiosity to lead you back into the studio.
