Biography

    Born in Tehran, Iran, Nasrin Afrouz studied art and graduated from the University of Tehran with a bachelor's degree in fine arts in 1987. She also studied Persian Mythology at the University and completed a thesis, Mehr Means Love, about the Persian God Mithra.

    During the Iran-Iraq war, as a student Nasrin traveled and saw the devastation in the cities torn by Iraqi aggression. Being a woman she was not allowed to go to the front lines of the war, though she was in touch with the pain and suffering of the women of her country that was caused by the war. She was particularly influenced emotionally by the ceremonies and rituals for the dead. This sparked Nasrin's curiosity for understanding these rituals which lead her to study ceremonies and then to study the ancient mythology and rituals of Iran. This process culminated to be her college thesis and a major theme in her artwork.

    In addition to her studies, Nasrin has worked in advertising firms and taught art classes, as well as coordinated children's art programs and taught physically disabled children. She has also helped secondary school students prepare for their university entrance exams in Fine Arts.

    In 1994, Nasrin moved to Seattle and started studying English at Seattle Central Community College. During her study, she worked with the women's program at the college. She designed and laid out two issues of their magazine. In 1996, she started attending Shoreline Community College and in 1997 she got her certification in Visual Communication Technology in the field of Graphic Design and Electronic Prepress. Nasrin is an accomplished artist and has exhibited her work several times. She also has taught classes in drawing and painting at local community centers and at community colleges.

"My primary motivation is the human psyche -- past and present. Therefore these paintings express figures incorporated with mythological and or technological symbolism representing the conscious and sub-conscious mind which exist while awake or dreaming.

The stars shine all night and all day, but we cannot always see them."

Awards

- Illustrated poster won the 1997 contest for the Washington State Employees Combined Fund Drive.
- Award of Merit from Manhattan Arts International in recognition of outstanding talent in the "Healing power of Art" competition.

Activities

- 9 solo and 21 group exhibitions in Seattle and Issaquah Washington, New York NY, Ontario Canada, and Tehran Iran.
- 2 Lectures and slide shows of her paintings in Seattle Central Community College, one group slide show in Seattle Art Museum.
- Story boarding and set designing in short movies.
- Face painting in Washington's fairs and festivals.