I love people and seek to have authentic interactions, each of which has the potential to become the subject of my works, which have been appreciated locally and internationally. My extensive readings on philosophy, literature, and art encouraged me to choose art as my career. I use my paintings as a tool to express my feelings, emotions, and life views. I also teach online Rumi and poetry classes in both English and Persian formats, in collaboration with the Atlanta Persian Cultural Center, Kanoon.

I was born in 1984 in Tehran, Iran. I started training in watercolors at age 16, and received a degree in English literature. I moved to Woodstock, GA in 2014 in search of freedom and a better life. I attended Kennesaw University in the American Studies program while working a variety of jobs to support myself and my son.

In early 2020, I was laid off from my job, so I listened to my heart and the universe and started my own art business, AsheqArt, LLC. Asheq means “lover” in Persian. I started by giving private lessons in my home while working on my art portfolio.

In the spring of 2024, my husband and I published a short collection of love poems, “I Stumbled into Your Heaven Today,” that we wrote together during the preceding years. We are collaborating on a children’s book, and I plan to publish my memoir and a book of my personal philosophy in the future.

During my art classes, I prepared tea for my students, a custom from my former homeland that I wanted to share with my new friends. They loved it! So, in 2023, I started the Asheq Artisan Tea Co., and I now sell globally sourced, locally hand-blended, artisanal teas online and at my downtown Woodstock, GA location in Made Mercantile. As I stated in Enjoy Cherokee Magazine, “Drinking tea is a social activity and a good excuse to discuss subjects related to love. The aromas and tastes make people relax and remember where they came from. We all came from heaven and we all return to heaven. When we drink tea, we can remember our roots and forget about our troubles.”

These days I love to spend my time with my family, raising my 3-year-old son, painting in my home studio, growing my business, and teaching watercolor classes.

Philosophy

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. Love is essential to the health of one’s spirit, body, and community. Below I will share some of my thoughts and provide links for further inquiry or local guides who can help you on your own journey [plan to have sponsored links or contact info for partners.