Yalda Foroughmand
Yalda Foroughmand Arabi (born in Tehran, Iran) graduated with a BFA in painting from the Rhode Island School of Design and currently works as an artist and art educator based in Brooklyn. Yalda’s work is a visual representation of her experiences and inner world crossed over into fantastical realities through the transformative and meditative creative process. With roots in her identity, Yalda’s work is inspired by the many forms of Iranian art and deals with themes of nature, metaphysics, and culture.
A Battle of Two Selves, 2021, Gouache and Acrylic on Paper, 12 x 9 in
PP: What does your studio practice look like?
YF: My studio practice is a combination of a few different workflows that all inform each other. I work on a small scale format when I’m at home or on the go, usually using color pencils and gouache, and in the studio I work with a range of mediums like pastels, acrylics, and oils on a larger scale as well as some printmaking and sculpture. I find having multiple artworks and different mediums to move between at any given time to be the most effective way to stay creative so when I’m making art, I divide my time between many projects. In terms of the content and finding inspiration I have a similar workflow that cycles through different ways of approaching art making. My process exists on a spectrum that ranges from a research based starting point with compositions that come from sketches and iterations of the same idea to purely improvised work that evolve over time.
Offering, 2022, Acrylic and Water Soluble Pastels on Canvas, 62 x 48 in
PP: What do you aim to say through your work?
YF: Making art for me is mostly about having a creative outlet as a means of processing and expressing feelings and observations, and my primary hope is to get a sense of the emotional resonance of the art through to viewers. My work is personal as I draw imagery from my immediate mindset, interests, and experiences which currently includes but is not limited to the themes and subject matter of nature, escape, metaphysics, culture, and history. So, while I have my own narratives and symbolism in mind when creating my aim is to make work that can transcend past my perception and allow as many interpretations of the imagery as there are people that see it.
Mamanjoon in Alvir, 2022, Acrylic and Water Soluble Pastels on Canvas, 38 x 44 in
PP: What is your process for critiquing your own work?
YF: One way that I critique my work is by taking some time away from it and then attempting to see the work from an outsider’s point of view to imagine the different ways that the imagery could be interpreted, and then finding ways to get my intentions with the work to hopefully come through. With that said I try not to overthink other’s perceptions of my work so relying on my instincts and feelings while I’m creating is how I gauge whether the artwork is going in a direction I’m happy with.
Woman, Earth, 2022, Oil on Canvas 40 x 36 in
PP: What challenges have you faced as an artist and how do you overcome them?
YF: Prioritizing time for making art while also working and keeping up with other interests is an endless struggle so I have adapted to working in different scales and mediums to keep up with making art outside of studio at home or on my commute. In terms of the creative process, following through after the initial inspired stages of new projects is a challenge for me as I get caught up in the excitement of fresh ideas. One way I balance out the loss of focus is by having ‘fast work’ that I make to get fresh ideas out and ‘slow work’ that I keep going back to with breaks in between to fully realize and get to a stage that I can I consider as finished.
To learn more about Yalda’s work, see her instagram and website.