A note from the artist...
"I am a lover...of art, life, and the mysteries of the universe. Come join my artistic journey as I explore themes of mysticism, love, dreams, and philosophy as influenced by the teachings and love of Jesus, great Persian thinkers (Rumi, Hafiz), Greek philosophers (Socrates, Aristotle), Stoics (Marcus Aurelius), modern sages (Espinoza, Martin Buber, Meher Baba, Simone Weil, Dr. Ghomshei), and artists (Sohrab Sepehri, Marc Chagall, Kayhan Kalhor, Yayoi Kusama, Howard Finster)."
-Sanaz Dillard
Asheq Art Is...
Art.
I am Sanaz—though many know me as Sunny—a Persian-American artist, storyteller, and eternal seeker of beauty and truth. My art is born from the heart of my journey, woven from memories of Tehran and the spirited embrace of my new home in America. Each brushstroke in my watercolors and acrylics is an exploration of the surreal and the abstract, a dance between dreams and landscapes where elements of Persian calligraphy echo the poetry of my heritage.The word Asheq—meaning “lover” in Persian—guides my creative process. I am a lover of art, life, and the mysteries that unite us all. My work is deeply inspired by the timeless wisdom of great Persian poets like Rumi and Hafiz, as well as the philosophies of Greek thinkers, the contemplative insights of Stoics, and the spiritual narratives of modern sages. Every painting is a meditation on love, mysticism, and the universal search for meaning.My journey has not been without hardship. I have transformed struggle into strength, pain into passion, and loss into liberation. My experiences—both the shadows and the light—infuse my creations with authenticity and resilience. I invite you to join me in exploring not just the visual, but also the soulful; to see art as a conversation between past and present, between the personal and the universal.In my studio, I also honor the tradition of sharing a warm cup of artisan tea—hand-blended to capture both global flavors and local spirit—I find that conversation flows as freely as creativity. This ritual, rooted in my Persian upbringing, is a reminder that art is not only meant to be seen but to be experienced, savored, and shared with genuine connection.My work is an open invitation: to reflect, to dream, and to remember that in every moment of creative expression, we are all, at our core, lovers—of life, art, and the ever-unfolding mystery of our existence.
Learn MoreLove.
Asheq means “lover” in Persian. My husband and I practice the Religion of Love, which puts love at the center of human experience. Although raised separately in the Islamic and Christian traditions, we have drifted closer to the teachings and poetry of Buddha, Hafiz, Rumi, Espinoza, Emerson, Elahi Ghomshei, and Coleman Parks. Please refer to any of these masters for further reading and discovery.
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Culture.
There is no Culture without Art and Community As we pass through time and space, my goal is to travel with a Caravan of Love. Peopled by Warriors of the Light, as coined by Paulo Coelho, we must cultivate a community of Lovers to help us find peace and understanding in a world that is unfortunately, but essentially full of suffering.
Fortunately, the universe has blessed us with fellow travelers from which to make friends, and art and creative activities as balms for the soul.
Sanaz Dillard.
ARTIST
AsheqArt, LLC
Asheq means “lover” in Persian. My name is Sanaz, but my friends call me Sunny. I am a Persian-American artist, tea curator, and small business owner, working closely with my husband and co-owner, Phil, a US Army veteran and current health care provider.
I started training in watercolors at age 16, in my home country of Iran. I came to America in my 30s in search of freedom and a better life. I work with acrylics and watercolors to create surreal and abstract forms and landscapes, and I often incorporate elements of Persian calligraphy.
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