When did you first become interested in painting?
I became interested in painting and art when I was 5 years old.
Did you always know you would become an artist or did you have other ideas?
I always knew I was going to be an artist but because I also liked psychology, I studied family counselling and got a PhD. Right now, my surrealist work is based on psychology ideas and social problems.
Are you a full time artists and if so, how do you manage your time?
I’m a full time artist but I have my own company for special effects interior designs and a monthly magazine on the history of western and Iranian art.
Where do you get your inspiration?
Mostly from social issues.
You have a very distinctive style, have you always worked in this way?
No, I work in many styles, simultaneously.
Are you influenced by any famous artists, if so who are they?
Salvador Dali, Van Gogh, Michelangelo.
Could you please describe the practical process you go through when making a painting?
I focus on a social subject and make many sketches to get the image I want and then I try to figure out a place to fit a Qajar art within the painting. (Using a special technique I make the paper very thin and with special glue I affix it to the canvas). I draw my sketch on the canvas and pick colours that are based on my subject and start painting!
What does a typical day look like for you?
I have plans for everyday. One part is spent on thinking of new ideas, answering my emails (near 150 emails a day), sketching/drawing and making sculptures and paintings. The other part is for reading. Three hours a day are dedicated to administering my company. I also relax with my family.
View Aziz Anzabi’s gallery.
