Fahimeh Amiri

Fahimeh Amiri grew up in Tehran, Iran. In second grade she became the pupil of Professor Hossein Behzad, then the greatest living Persian miniaturist, and apprenticed with him for many years. She attended the Tehran School of Fine Art, becoming the first girl to earn the schools highest honors. In 1973 she received a BFA from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University. Her art has gained international attention through exhibitions including the New York International Art Expo. 13 internationally distributed original poster designs, and the publication of children’s books, including Cover of Babri by Fahimeh Amiri”Babri,” “The Monkey Bridge,” and “The Prince Who Ran Away.” Her books have been honored by the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators, was selected to hand-paint fragrance bottles for Ralph Lauren; is a recipient of the Norman Rockwell Award for illustration; and has been honored for her artistic achievements by Iran’s Queen Farah. Fahimeh is an adept and versatile artist and a very effective teacher. Her specific areas of expertise are picture book design, botanical illustration, Islamic art, graphic design and Persian miniature. The following are sample courses that Fahimeh has taught: Course Synopsis: Picture Book Development Poster by Fahimeh AmiriAll children’s drawing has a narrative dimension, however, these narratives are most often found to exist in fragmented form. The purpose of this course is to harness the narrative imagination of children through the creation and development of a picture book. Students will develop a central character for the story through a focused step-by-step process. In order to encourage creative “flow” students will initially draw various character ideas, and positions for the character. Each drawn position sparks the child’s imagination and gradually a story line begins to form. The child will be taught to organize his or her thoughts with a beginning, middle and end, and to communicate these in the coherent format of the picture book. The creation of the story line allows children to depict aspects of meaning which they may not be able to verbalize. Both creative and artistic talents will be fostered and developed. Children will learn, through identification with the central character and the creative process, to associate with others and to come to terms with them, with themselves, with physical problems, and to make calculations and judgments and choices. Children will, in fact, educate themselves spontaneously. These drawings have powerful feedback, what happens on paper stimulates the child to further imagine and it is this process that will be encouraged in the course. The practice of this exercise may lead not only to mastery but to innovation and invention as well. The aim of the course is to stimulate the child’s creative mind and to expand and extend the child’s drawing vocabulary. An ability to develop a pictorial language is paramount and will rapidly evolve. Book illustration by Fahimeh AmiriFocus and concentration are also heightened as students become deeply involved with the subject matter of their storybook, including identification with the protagonist and the environment or setting depicted. The picture book draws children into their subject matter in a manner that could not be achieved through art or story telling alone. By the end of the course students will have a completed picture book to share with friends and family reflective of his or her achievement. Each re-telling of the story reinforces expression and builds the child’s self esteem. Please call Fahimeh for up-to-date course specifics with regards to course price and length of study. Persian Miniatures: This class will introduce students to the exotic art form of Persian miniature art. This class will provide student with specific technique and skill development as well as give students a contextual understanding of the cultural and religious influences behind this art form. Students will develop a heightened appreciation for the form and will given the tools so that they may practice this art form for years to come. Botanical Illustration: Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor Working from drawings and live plants and flowers, capture the essence of spring. We’ll focus on brushwork, technique, and composition and examine details specific to botanical illustration. All levels and painting mediums are welcome.