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Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Meridian, to be in the August Open Exhibit 2026

“Meridian” is an exploration of the boundaries we draw within ourselves. It asks where the city ends and the soul begins, using a bold, eclectic palette to define the various “time zones” of the human psyche. The artwork suggests that we are not a single entity, but a collection of intersecting experiences, each flowing along its own unique coordinate.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Magician, to be in the March Open Exhibit 2026

“Magician” evokes a sense of wonder and transformation, perhaps hinting at the unseen forces at play in a magician’s craft. The central, almost mask-like form seems to be in a state of flux, emanating or receiving energies represented by the surrounding abstract elements. The composition features a curious blend of scientific-looking diagrams and fantastical organic growths, creating a tension between logic and intuition. It’s a painting that feels both ancient and futuristic, suggesting a world where anything is possible.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my paintings, Afterthought and Rider to be in the Little Winter Exhibit 2025

Afterthought (5 x 7 in.)

Afterthought is an intimate acrylic study that explores themes of distance, memory, and lingering introspection. Rendered on canvas in soft peach, muted teal, and dusty pink, the composition balances small distant figures with a prominent, floating surreal form. Bold outlines and abstract geometries interact to create a dreamlike horizon, capturing a quiet moment where reflection meets residual thought.

Rider (7 x 5 in.)

Rider is a small-format acrylic painting featuring two distinct, stylized figures layered in a tight, graphic composition. A pale yellow face with subtle, cat-like ears sits in the foreground, anchored by a prominent mint-green and red mask-like entity behind it. Radiating orange lines, beaded dots, and stacked geometric symbols along the left edge create a balanced grid, framing a playful exploration of connection, identity, and shared movement.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Fortuneteller’s Room, to be in the March 2025 Open exhibit

Inspired by Henry Matisse, Joan Miró, and Andrea Bogdan, I switch between minimalist and more complex expressionist styles in my naive narratives. This painting is certainly more of a minimalist. Here, I am using thinly applied color fields and pearlescent paint to enhance the playfulness of the interior, where the fortune-teller is channeling yet another narrative from a different time depicted by a crystal ball that is also a sand glass.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Confronted, to be in the January 2025 Open exhibit

Confronted presents a compelling horizontal panorama of distinct, overlapping personas, each navigating a shared visual landscape. Rendered in bold acrylic and expressive collage elements, the piece explores the friction and dialogue between inner archetypes—from the mask-like white face on the far left to stylized profile figures, shadowy forms, and vibrant, graphic outlines. Spanning a 10 x 30–inch canvas, this wide-format composition invites viewers to scan across a psychological spectrum where memory, perception, and identity collide.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Déjà vu, to be in the November 2024 Open exhibit

Déjà vu a eerie sense of familiarity echoes through déjà vu, where dark, mask-like forms shift and overlay in a fluid loop of repetition. Framed against a high-contrast backdrop of fiery oranges, soft pinks, and vivid lime greens, a central stylized figure appears duplicated—one head drifting directly behind the other like a lingering memory or a delayed second glance. Linear, spine-like strokes and looping contour lines anchor the piece, capturing that fleeting psychological glitch where the present moment feels like an exact restatement of the past.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Maximo, to be in the “Wit and Whimsy” exhibit

Maximo

A bold, graphic study in shape and playfulness, Maximo commands the canvas with vibrant color blocks and stark black outlines. Anchored by an amber, skull-like head with pointed ears and wide-set features, the creature’s crouched body unfolds in bright green, teal, and a winding crimson tail against a soft pink backdrop. Spanning a large 24 x 36–inch canvas, the piece blends folk-art sensibilities with modern graphic abstraction, balancing a striking, skeletal motif with an undeniably lively, character-driven energy.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Solitary Thoughts, to be in the August 2024 Open Exhibit

Solitary Thoughts

24″ x 18″ | Mixed Media on Canvas

Set against a fiery red and textured backdrop, Solitary Thoughts captures the internal landscape of isolation, memory, and mental overflow. At the lower left, a masked figure anchors the composition as vibrant, topographical linework radiates upward—connecting abstract geometric forms, floating spheres, and surreal iconography. Blending expressive portraiture with symbolic abstraction, this piece explores the noisy interior worlds born from quiet moments.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

Second time selected my painting, Sonata, to be in the March 2024 Open Exhibit

Sonata is a bold, expressionistic piece that weaves melody, form, and symbolism into a vivid visual composition. Saturated color fields of red, green, and yellow set a dramatic stage for two figures—one playing a stringed instrument and the other offering a yellow bird—exploring themes of harmony, performance, and companionship.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  | 703.683.2323 |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, 6 Senses, to be in the July 2023 Open Exhibit

6 Senses explores the boundary where physical perception overlaps with intuition and inner awareness. Set against bold fields of orange, black, and green, a stylized profile is woven with vivid, symbolic motifs—a grid-patterned eye, a delicate floral tendril, vibrant shapes, and architectural elements. The composition transforms standard human senses into a playful, surreal landscape, inviting the viewer to look beyond immediate sight and tap into a deeper, intuitive realm of perception.

My partner Abol Bahadori and I were among the first artist residents of the brand-new AIR Studios by Jen Tough Gallery in May 2023. Our open studio coincided with the grand opening of the gallery. This was a memorable experience working with other artists visiting from all around the US and meeting with local and traveling art lovers. Santa Fe, NM has a magical nature and atmosphere for creativity.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Mariela, to be in the March Open Exhibit

Vibrant and dreamlike, Mariela is a captivating 24″ x 48″ original painting that overflows with whimsical energy and bold color. Blending neo-expressionist motifs with playful surrealism, this horizontal statement piece features a rich tapestry of figures, nature, and symbolism—including a striking blue dinosaur silhouette, radiant sun, stylized eye, and fluid organic forms in electric shades of pink, purple, blue, and yellow. Its expansive format and vivid palette make it a dynamic focal point for modern interiors, creative studios, or contemporary art collections.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Ascent, to be in the January 2023 Heart’s Desire Exhibit

Ascent is a vibrant abstract composition centered around a dramatic blue arc that vaults upward across the canvas. A stylized terracotta silhouette on the left anchors a field of atmospheric lavenders, while a vivid green plane to the top right radiates subtle geometric symbols—circle, triangle, crescent, cross, square, and star.

Blending structured grid lines with intuitive, expressive brushwork, the piece explores themes of spiritual elevation, personal progression, and the balance between geometric order and raw emotion.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Routines, to be in the October 2022 Patterns Exhibit

Routine carries a quiet dual nature: it can feel like a protective anchor or a subtle cage.

When routine serves us, it brings a grounding sense of predictability and ease. It lowers the mental noise of decision-making, offering a stable framework where the mind can rest or focus without constantly recalculating the next step. There is comfort in familiar rhythms—the warmth of a morning brew, the steady sequence of the daily commute, the reliable cadence of familiar tasks. It creates a sanctuary of control in a world that often feels unpredictable.

However, when routine turns rigid or mindless, that comfort can slowly shift into inertia. The days begin to blur together, losing their distinct contrast, and life can feel like it is running on an invisible assembly line. It brings a feeling of auto-pilot, where actions are repeated automatically while presence fades. Finding meaning within routine often comes down to balance—using structure to build peace and momentum without losing the conscious awareness that keeps everyday life feeling alive.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, White Peacock, September 2022 Open Exhibit

White Peacock

Vibrant, graphic shapes and bold color blocking converge in White Peacock, an expressive abstract composition alive with movement and contrast. Anchored by radiant shades of cerulean, cobalt, and energetic orange, the piece balances sleek graphic contours with richly textured, gestural brushwork. A stylized white bird silhouette emerges dynamically in the lower right, anchoring the swirling interplay of geometric arcs, organic forms, and layered color fields.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, The Haste, to be in the August 2022 Open Exhibit

“The Haste” (48×24 inches) is a vibrant, fast-paced abstract composition that captures a sense of urgent movement and overlapping thoughts. Set within a striking vertical format, the piece layers bold, saturated color blocking—featuring cobalt blues, fiery oranges, vivid greens, and deep purples—with playful geometric forms and organic line work.

A central cluster of stylized shapes, subtle graphic details, and a distinct white hand-like gesture anchor the canvas, drawing the viewer into a dynamic visual balance between structure and spontaneous motion. The vertical scale enhances its physical presence, making it a bold statement piece for any modern collection.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The juror selected my painting, Orange Invasion, to be in the October 2021 Open Exhibit

Orange Invasion

A vibrant, kinetic exploration of form and texture, Orange Invasion sweeps across wood paneling in a surge of bold color and layered media. Dynamic waves of fiery orange and bright yellow slice diagonally through structured blue-patterned towers, deep magenta verticals, and rich wood-grain grounding. Playful abstract figures—including a stylized cat-like silhouette and expressive, outstretched hands—emerge from the vivid composition, creating a surreal narrative of energy disrupting space. Rich with mixed-media textures, geometric accents, and whimsical line work, the piece balances graphic structure with unpredictable, organic movement.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

Sonata is a bold, expressionistic piece that weaves melody, form, and symbolism into a vivid visual composition. Saturated color fields of red, green, and yellow set a dramatic stage for two figures—one playing a stringed instrument and the other offering a yellow bird—exploring themes of harmony, performance, and companionship.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The White Sock 12×12″, acrylic on canvas—Best in Show Award Selected by the juror Catherine Haggarty

I depict my subjects from my dreams, imagination and distorted childhood memories. “The White Socks” has all the elements of Christmas from my childhood memories in my place of birth, the Amazonas region of Peru.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The Bird Witness 36×24″, acrylic on canvas—Selected by the juror Matthew T. McLaughlin

I am inspired by children’s art and try to keep my forms and colors as fresh and limitless as a child’s imagination. Witnessing horror and death while hanging to hope and happiness are what billions of kids in the world are doing. Innocent animals go through this too.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

Elena 24×36″, acrylic on canvas—Selected by the juror Antonio McAfee

Elena was my childhood imaginary friend who kept my company in my lonely moments. I have revived her personality and the ambiance of her presence in this painting.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

Pink Alien 24×48″, acrylic on canvas—Selected by the juror Julia Kwon

Other artists tell me that my process and imagery are too different and weird. I take that as a compliment. This one is one of the visionary type of imaginations that I don’t even know where it (or they) came from and I let it run wild through the viewers imagination. The alien symbolizes the unknown or the unpredictable factor of the narrative which can be a different story in each view and for each viewer.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The Profit 24×18″, acrylic on canvas—Selected by the juror Fanna Gebreyesus

This reflects the hypocrisy among our political and religious leaders. Not a religious person myself, I am yet fascinated by theology and biblical commands. I was shocked when I first read: “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.”—Matthew 5:30. I am making light of that in this painting—an ancient profit who cut off his right hand. Location: somewhere in Egypt with the obelisk in the background, but it may as well be a modern urban setting, perhaps DC near the Washington Memorial.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

Robotic Souls 24×48″, acrylic on canvas—Selected by the juror Erika Harrsch

My imagination is triggered after I put the brush or pencil on the canvas or paper. “Robotic Souls” is a manifestation of our daily routines—we are all machines. Even our pleasures and sufferings are contained within hourly regiments. Everything is barred and segmented into fractions of minutes and hours—organic forms forced into geometrical patterns and repetitions while dark and cold come forward and the warm joy of life is pushed back.

Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria, VA, USA  |  Google Maps

The Prayer 24×48″, acrylic on canvas—winner of Honorable Mention awarded by the juror Mark Strandquist

Prayer conveys a quiet sanctuary anchored amidst surrounding chaos. At its center, a still, veiled figure in prayer offers a sense of inner peace, devotion, and spiritual shelter. Framed by sharp abstract forms, intense reds, and reaching shapes that evoke tension and vulnerability, the artwork explores the delicate balance between seeking quiet solace and navigating the noise of the outer world.