Visual artist, portraitist · Mashhad, Iran

The work starts with something simple: looking at a face long enough that something in it shows up. I work mostly in graphite and charcoal, and in pastel on kraft paper. Oil I keep for the larger pieces. Alongside the portraits there is a series of animals: cats in hats, apes that are a little too human, and llamas in formal suits. I study animation at university and work at an art gallery.