Biography:

Nurieh Mozaffari was born in Iran and immigrated to Canada. She became seriously interested in painting at the age of 18 and soon after, embarked on a B.A., majoring in Art in Iran. Later, she completed a Masters degree in painting at Art University in 1996. Teaching in the Faculty of Art at a university was a natural next step. Nurieh lectured there for four years and also maintained an extensive private practice before coming to Vancouver. In between and subsequent to her studies, her work has appeared in many exhibitions – both joint and solo.

Upon her arrival in Vancouver in 1998, Nurieh pursued a diploma in Jewelery Design. The program pushed her to expand her perspective of the world and allowed her to express herself three dimensionally. She has always drawn from her cultural heritage to complement her creations and continues to do so in her work here in Canada.

Nurieh currently lives in West Vancouver. Her work has been exhibited in Iran, Europe, USA and Canada. She says she can’t imagine her life without painting. Her work gives her a strong sense of self and allows her to share her innermost truth with those around her.

Artist’s Statement :
I try to capture my emotions and my perceptions through the simplicity of shape, the harmony of color, and the paradox of light and dark. My paintings are symbolic of my interpretation of life, of my love of what is natural and true.
Often what I find in the images is an opening - a possibility space, but that same space may be shrouded by what is seemingly impossible. I am intrigued by this combination and believe that when we look consciously - whether at humans, objects or landscape, we see no separation among them. Form is interesting, but it represents only a general sense of subject. My work has shown me that there is so much more to discover beyond the restriction of form and I strive to be true to that knowing.
I often listen to Iranian classical music or read poetry for inspiration. The undulating rhythm of the music or words imprints on my sub-conscious, leading me in many directions. I let my mind and body merge with the music and my spirit guides me to the places I need to go. Textures and impressions appear on the canvas and from these compositions, I then have a mirror for my next step. The journey is never ending.