ALKAMIST
Where material becomes meaning.
I have always been drawn to the way gold changes an image. Its reflective surface catches light, alters colour and gives the painting a different presence.
In these works, I explore gold leaf not simply as a material, but as part of the transformation of the image itself.
Chickadees
Childhood · Memory · Freedom
For me, these chickadees bring back the happiest memories of my childhood — summers at my grandmother’s country house.
Every summer, we would drive for four hours from the city to spend time at my grandparents’ house. I would sleep outside under a mosquito net and wake up to the sound of the birds chirping, promising me another day of adventure.
I would spend my days climbing the fruit trees in their garden, exploring, playing and simply being free.
When I look at these birds, I don’t just see birds. I see those summer mornings, the garden, the sound of their singing, and the feeling of freedom I had as a child.
Oil Painting on gold leaf
Size: 60 × 60 cm
Year: 2020
Availability & Price: Contact me
Parvaneh
Transformation · Beauty · Life
Parvaneh means butterfly in Persian. It is also my mother’s name, and I made this painting for her.
I have always been fascinated by butterflies. They come into life through a struggle, emerging from their chrysalis before they can finally spread their wings. Their lives may be short, but during that time they fly freely and make the world around them more beautiful simply by being there.
For me, the butterfly is a reminder that life is not only about how long we live, but about what beauty we bring into the world while we are here.
And this butterfly carries something more personal for me: it carries my mother’s name, and is my way of celebrating her.
Technique: Mixed media / gold leaf
Materials: Oil Painting on gold leaf
Size: 70 x 50 cm
Year: 2020
Christ the Redeemer
Faith · Hope · Gratitude
I made this painting as a gift for a dear friend who supported me during one of the most difficult periods of my life, when my father was sick.
I am not a religious person, and I don’t follow any particular faith. But I have always been fascinated by people who have a strong belief in something greater than themselves.
When my father was ill, my friend told me that she would pray for him and for me. I could not change what was happening, and there was very little I could do. Her faith gave her a way to offer hope and comfort — and somehow, that comfort reached me too.
I remember thinking that I envied people who can truly believe that there is a greater force watching over them when life becomes impossible to control.
I made this piece for my friend as a thank you — for her kindness, her support, and for giving me comfort when I needed it most.
Technique: Mixed media / gold leaf
Materials: Acrilyc Painting on gold leaf
Size: 70 x 50 cm
Year: 2026
Love & Lust
Desire · Love · Connection
This piece began with a question I was playing with: Which is more important — love or lust?
I was thinking about the attraction between a man and a woman, and how love and desire can exist together, but are not necessarily the same thing.
I shared the question on Instagram, and someone replied: “Why or? They should be love and lust in life.”
That made me think.
Perhaps it is not about choosing between the two. Love can create intimacy, trust and connection, while desire brings attraction, energy and fire. And perhaps one of the challenges in a long relationship is finding ways to keep that fire alive while love continues to grow.
The two figures represent this tension — and the question remains open:
How do we keep the fire alive with the person we love?
Technique: Mixed media / gold leaf
Materials: Oil Painting on gold leaf
Size: 70 x 70 cm
Year: 2023