Roya Gharavi’s travels have taken her near and far, and from each trip she collects a souvenir. But for Roya, her souvenirs are a bit different—a color she can’t get out of her head, a recollection of a lake at sunset or the immense feeling of happiness.
She takes these special experiences and represents them in her work, creating a unique reminder of where she has been, and where she has potential to go with her creative endeavors. Together with her muse (a Burmese cat named Ronni Spitfire) Roya has created many vibrant, lively oil and acrylic paintings used for residential and commercial purposes.
This first painting, entitled Crush, is certainly abstract, but I’m inclined to interpret it in one of two ways:
First, I can make out an island oasis surrounded by shimmering turquoise waters. I visualize a grouping of pristine islands, with refreshing, clean water flowing between them. Boats nestle into various inlets, and hills and rocky terrain split up the topography, where just a road here and there breaks up the wild scenery.
Second, I could see this abstract as a cityscape complete with skyscrapers, intricate roadways and bustling people. The outer splays of black paint create a lot of movement that reminds me of busy city life, where people are scurrying here and there on roads packed with cabs trying to make it to various destinations on time.
See that long, white line in the middle of the chaos? It even reminds me of a large bridge or overpass enabling people to get from one place to another quickly. However you interpret it, Crush is a fascinating abstract, with incredible depth and impact.
Mars Big is another dynamic painting that has it all—riveting dimension and depth, color with an attitude and great positive and negative space.
The black background to the left depicts an endless universe where millions of stars and solar systems light up like diamonds in deep, deep outer space. In the forefront, energy collides in a swirl and smash of particles, sending a forceful explosion of light and material into the galaxy.
This piece is big in every way—giant in theory, large in excitement and huge in execution. Roya did a fabulous job.
And for this last untitled painting, who says black and brown can’t go together? Roya breaks the rules with a soft toffee-colored gradient in the background and a huge splatter of black so deep it looks like you could fall headfirst into it.
The ambiguous dark shape is highlighted by yellow, gray, blue and white which add a subtle 3D effect along with a sense of energetic motion. Peering into the vortex of blackness, I can almost make out a figure in mid-stride, shrouded in a long, hooded cloak and wielding some sort of weapon.
If you only have time to check out one more of Roya’s paintings, take a look at Mellow on her website. It’s a bright yellow concoction that feels like walking unknowingly into your own surprise birthday party. The colors are celebratory, happy and summery—and match perfectly with an afternoon spent on a sunny patio enjoying a delicious margarita. Head on over and see it today!
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