Reza Torabi

Persian artist Reza Torabi believes he was born an artist. As a child, viewing a beautiful painting sent his heart racing; he never doubted that this was his destined path. A young Torabi found charcoal and chalk around the house and began drawing on any and every surface, much to his mother’s chagrin. Luckily, his parents encouraged him to hone his craft. His father, whose heavy brow and deep-set features were ideal for charcoal representations, would sit for endless portraits as Torabi perfected his technique.

Soon, teenage Torabi received commissions for portraits of religious icons and began supporting himself as an artist. He attended Güzel Sanatlar University where he studied fine art history, poetry and Azari music. He kicked off his career in 2003 with his first solo exhibition, followed by many more award-winning shows. Torabi yearned to share his knowledge and techniques with others, and he began teaching oil painting in his atelier in his home town.

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