Paintings by Arash Rahimi · Exhibit runs from Mar 10 - Apr 26
ARTIST STATEMENT:
The works in this exhibition are roughly divided into two categories; one centers around “life,” and includes the concept of love, peace, and joy. While the other category focuses on the portraits with the subject matter which is inspired by “Poverty.” However, the power within still thrives even it is mixed with inevitable suffering. My favorite medium is drawing with Charcoal, graphite and color pencil. Drawing in black and white is my way to transfer poverty and social issues as my goal is to draw people's attention to these topics. Then my audience can add color to the subject of my drawing. For wood carving specifically, I use a variety of natural color of woods. Each piece of wood is cut by hand scroll saw, then all of the woods come together carved by hand made tools, sanded, and then polished with a glossy spray to bring out the beautiful color of the wood. These pictures are made with carefully selected wood color that matches the mood of the theme, often incorporating oyster, glass, canvas and charcoal pencil. All of the elements then come together to create a memorable, unique art experience.
When I think of the moment brought me to the world of art, I cannot see a moment, as it has been within me always and forever. It is a gift from God which is my language through my artwork to spread love everywhere, to shine lighter and hope to the world. My other mission in art is, signifying the poverty in society and help to find a cure for this social problem.
ARTIST BIO:
Self-taught artist, Arash Rahimi works in a wide variety of mediums but the passion for drawing and wood carving are favorites to create one-of-a-kind art pieces. When viewing Arash's portfolio for the first time one is under the belief that these works presented are the creations of several talented artists. The diverse collections, however, are the efforts of just one. For wood carving specifically, Arash uses variety of natural color of woods. Each individual piece of wood is cut by hand scroll saw, then all of the woods come together carved by hand made tools by himself, sanded and then polished with a glossy spray to bring out the beautiful color of wood. These pictures are made with carefully selected wood color that matches the mood of the theme, often incorporating oyster, glass, canvas and charcoal pencil. All of the elements then come together in a handmade frame to create a memorable unique art experience.
In the short amount of time being in Utah, Arash has participated in Utah Art Festival, Urban Art Festival, Art of Safe Sex and has been awarded as the “Top Selected Artist” of 2018.
“Trying to heal the world by reflecting love, peace and social issues, the majority of my art pieces are inspired by the music I listen to. The beat, the lyrics, and the emotions I feel from the music I am listening to while I am creating. The creation process is cathartic, allowing my emotions to spill out onto the paper (or any other medium) as a release. I hope my works speak far louder than I.” Arash says.
The Salt Lake City Public Library's Marmalade Branch is the anchor of a mixed-use project developed as a key part of the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) of Salt Lake City's master plan for the Marmalade/West Capitol Hill area of the city. The neighborhood serves as a gateway to Salt Lake City from the north, and the Marmalade Branch is both a hub for neighborhood gatherings and an important welcome for visitors, highlighting a focus on development in the area. On-street parking is available on 500 North and 300 West, and UTA routes offer service with stops immediately in front of the Library on 300 West.
The two-story Marmalade Branch, designed by Blalock & Partners Architectural Design Studio and completed in early 2016, provides 18,600 square feet of new construction to support a thriving and growing community. The first floor includes the Moka Cafe, featuring local coffee and chocolate; a Creative Lab with the latest maker technologies like 3D printing and music-making software as well as "old school" tech such as sewing machines and a turntable; a flexible Children's area; and the very popular Music and Movies collection. The second floor includes the Adult collection, study rooms for a range of group sizes, and a large, flexible multi-purpose room with tiered seating to allow for a wide variety of events. The multi-purpose room has already been very popular with the community, hosting community feedback sessions, film screenings, TEDx events, music recitals, and the highly-popular Coffee and Chocolate Society. The second floor also features a wrap-around terrace offering views of the Capitol Building to the east, Salt Lake City's picturesque skyline and landscape to the south and, to the north, views to a public plaza and open green space as part of a new mixed-use development.
The project utilizes an exterior shading device along the west-facing glass to minimize solar heat gain yet still promote a dynamic interaction with the street and passersby. Its compact footprint reduces land use and allows for a high-performance building envelope. The use of LED lights, lighting control systems, occupancy sensors, and daylight harvesting reduce the amount of electrical energy consumption while the flood of natural light creates an inviting interior environment for patrons and an efficient, balanced workplace for staff. In honor of these sustainability features, the Marmalade Branch was awarded the LEED Silver certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
