Elli Shahideh is a native of Persia. She holds an M.A. in Museum
Studies from SFSU, an M. A. in Education Technology and a Teaching
Credential from USF, and a B.A. in Fine Arts from the State University
of New York (SUNY).
Elli’s paintings are primarily inspired by
her early exposure to cultural and historical traditions in art and
architecture in Persia and Italy. 
She began painting at the age of
nine under the tutelage of various masters in Italy and her native
land of Persia.
Elli began her professional career as a museum exhibition
designer, which she followed soon after with overseeing the imperial
museum in Tehran. Her interest in archeology and architecture took
her to over twenty archeological excavations with world-known and
legendary archeologists such as Dr. Henry D. Wright.
Elli has been
the curator of several exhibits in the Bay Area (such as Out
of the Trunk, Memorabilia of Italian- American Immigrant Experience in
the Museo Italo-Americano). In 1994, one of her designed exhibitions
(Una Storia Segreta) was brought to Congress
and was signed by President Clinton as part of the United States
of America's history. To this date, this exhibit is traveling throughout
the United States.
Numerous major corporations and publications have
commissioned Elli Shahideh’s work. A partial list of her clients
include: The Heritage Trust Foundation, The Koret Foundation, Archaeological
Investigations in Northern Xuzzeatan, Museum of Anthropology, University
of Michigan.
The artist has had over forty solo and group exhibits
and has shown in New York, San Francisco, Italy, and Tehran. Her
profound knowledge of art history complimented by her broad vision
and genuine passion for art are evident in the versatility of her
paintings, from landscapes to portraits and still life.
Elli’s
fascination with color, nature, and atmosphere explains the dominant
role light plays in many of her paintings.
Elli consumes every
minor observation, since she regards “seeing” as
her greatest blessing, and through this blessing she is able to share
her imagination with others. She explains: “my eyes are like
detectors, continuously running over images and zooming in and out
of what may not be transparent to others, searching for that perfect
moment to capture the light”.
“My favorite artists are
Monet, Singer Sargent, and, of the contemporary artists, Richard Schmid”.
Glancing at her paintings, the strong connection between her soul and
her work becomes apparent. “The
true purpose of art should be to awaken an emotion. It should never
be just an exhibition of craftsmanship. We all recognize emotions.
It is the developed ability of an artist to portray that emotion through
a combination of imagination and interpretation”.
In her new
series of paintings, Elli hopes to introduce her history and heritage
to others. “Time has shown that art is one of the
strongest mediums in bridging the gap between people of various cultures.
What better tool than the magnificent colors that I remember from childhood,
the warmth of the bright sunshine carrying the reflection of many colors
of nature through mosaics and stained glass”.
"The more
I have traveled the world, the more I have realized how much we, human
beings, have in common with one another. Over the centuries so much
has changed. However, the one thing that has always maintained its
beauty and integrity is art. Art is the language of the heart and mind”.
I have often thought that my paintings show a mixture of Western and Eastern
art.
