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Biography

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Sholeh Ashtiani is American in spirit, but Persian by birth. Descended from Iran’s first democratically-elected President, Mosadeqh, she also has lineage tracing back to one of Iran’s great modern painters by the same name, Ashtiani. 

Her creativity stifled by her formal studies in computer science and mathematics, Sholeh eventually was able to follow her instincts as an artist. She moved to Columbus, Ohio to the Columbus College of Art and Design, where she vehemently pursued her BFA. She completed a degree majoring in fine art, illustration and photography, graduating summa cum laude. Two years in a row, her figurative paintings won awards from the Society of Illustrators, hung in their New York gallery, and appeared in the their Annual.  Later, Sholeh freelanced as an illustrator and photographer and received exhibitions at local galleries. During this time she gradually developed her new direction in figurative paintings and bronze sculpture, featuring dancers and other explorations of the human form. 

Sholeh’s works have been exhibited throughout the country: The Society of Illustrators Museum in the Upper Eastside Manhattan, Art Expo in Las Vegas, San Diego County Fair, San Diego Museum of Arts’ Artist Guild Centennial Exhibition, Balboa Park’s Spanish Village Art Center, Loveland Sculpture Invitational, and Sculpture in the Streets in Mesa, Arizona, Encinitas Civic Center, Ohio Wesleyan University, Celebration Fine Art, in the US Grant Hotel, in downtown San Diego, Park Arts Fair, Delaware Art Fair, In-View Gallery, Boolas Gallery, Carlsbad Masquerade, Elected member of San Diego Museum of Art Artist Guild, as well as many others. Previously, she had her own gallery in La Jolla, Flame Gallery. 

Awards and recognition for painting and sculptures include: Donor Award from the California Center for The Arts, Escondido, San Diego County Fair 2015 Exhibition of Fine Art in the Sculptures field (2nd place for “Breath of Life”), as well as Honorable Mention (for “Synchronicity”), People's Choice Award (for "Sweet Angle"), Donation Award (for "Spirit of Life"), Society of Illustrators Award (1992 and 1993).

Her work has also appeared in many periodicals: Art World News, Art and Antiques, Society of Illustrators Annual: 32 & 33; American Showcase Illustration: 25 & 26, The San Diego Union Tribune, SouthWest Art,Art & Antique, Art Business News, Art Expo, Key Arizona, Encinitas Advocate, 92024 Magazine, Ranch Life Magazine, Resources, Hoot, Downtown Mesa, Ohio Magazine, Body Conditioning, Ranch Life, and Columbus Parents.  

She has been the exclusive photographer for many performing arts organizations: Players Theatre, BalletMet, and Otterbein College Theatre Company.  Her figurative bronze sculptures were featured on “Good Morning Arizona”, the morning TV magazine. Before focusing exclusively on Fine Art, she worked as a  a Film Maker, and commercial photographer providing fashion and product photography.

Sholeh is an all-around Artist. A few years ago, she began performing in local musical theatres in the San Diego area. She has performed in such plays as: Peter Pan, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Understudy, Pirates of Penzance, Guys and Dolls, Mikado, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Curtains, All Shook Up, Inherit the Wind, Sound of Music, Oliver, and Beauty and the Beast and many others.

She has also had roles in several short films, playing a Demon in Lilith and the Woebringer, Princess Sofia in the music video, “Unconditional Love”, as well as extras in a number of Hollywood films, playing opposite Bryan Cranston in one scene in Leave. And she can be seen walking past Catherine Heigl in The Ugly Truth.  

You may even have heard her music and seen her on “The Romance”, a reality show shown in many markets. Three of her songs are featured throughout the series, including the closing theme, “Stand Your Ground”, written for her by David Stern, a composer on the X-Factor. 

Throughout her career she has chosen to stay separate from the “who’s who” of the Art world. Sholeh states: “I had no desire to have my work influenced by, or to imitate or emulate, the work of others. My goal has been to do work that is distinctively mine, and not in someone else’s style.”