Reza Torabi

Persian artist Reza Torabi believes he was born an artist. As a child, seeing a beautiful painting made his heart race; he never doubted that this was his destined path. A young Torabi found charcoal and chalk around the house and started drawing on any and every surface, much to his mother’s dismay. Luckily, his parents supported him in developing his talent. His father, whose heavy brow and deep-set features suited charcoal portraits, would sit for endless drawings while Torabi practiced his skills.

Soon, teenage Torabi received commissions for portraits of religious icons and began earning a living as an artist. He attended Güzel Sanatlar University, where he studied fine art history, poetry, and Azari music. He launched his career in 2003 with his first solo exhibition, followed by many more award-winning shows. Torabi wanted to share his knowledge and techniques with others, so he started teaching oil painting at his studio in his hometown. Read more