January 11, 2007

Avideh’s world

Almaden artist is recognized as achiever by the National League of American Pen Women

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

When Avideh Yaghmai-Samardar was a young girl she never drew with crayons, instead preferring watercolors—a challenge for many artists, let alone a child. Her artistic journey evolved through photography, glass blowing, acrylics and ceramics.

Avideh Yaghmai-Samardar at the Saratoga Art Through Women’s Eyes art show in June 2006 with a vibrant acrylic painting and ceramic bowls. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Though Yaghmai-Samardar’s artwork has been showcased and awarded at individual and group art shows, she wanted to promote art in the community. In December 2005 she and her sister Haleh Mahbod hosted their first Art Through Women’s’ Eyes exhibit enabling emerging women artists to show their work and share their creativity.

Yaghmai-Samardar’s efforts in the arts were recognized recently when she was notified that she was awarded the 2007 Achiever Award from the National League of American Pen Women [NLAPW] Santa Clara County [SCC] branch to be presented at the annual Celebrity Luncheon Feb. 3.

“The annual Celebrity Luncheon is a festive occasion when we focus on local female artists, writers and musicians such as multi-gifted artist and teacher, Avideh Yaghmai-Samardar, who started her own group, Art Through Women’s Eyes,” said NLAPW SCC branch president Christine Dargahi. “We honor their talent by highlighting their accomplishments. Then, we support their legacy by raising scholarship funds for up and coming high school female artists.”

The NLAPW promotes the development of the creative talents of professional women artists, writers, dramatists, lecturers and composers. The League consists of branches, state organizations and members-at-large. The membership of 4,000 professional women is divided among 170 branches throughout the United States headquartered in the Robert Todd Lincoln’s historic mansion in Washington, D.C.

The Santa Clara branch awards annual monetary grants to high school students who excel in the arts to further their achievements. Each year the branch hosts a celebrity luncheon to honor individual women who achieved professionalism in letters, music and art. A raffle and silent auction held at the event generates monies to fund the awards.

“I can’t believe it,” said a modest Yaghmai-Samardar. “I am very honored to be recognized by such a great organization. There are so many other women who deserve to be acknowledged. Thank you so very much for the award.”

Art Through Women’s Eyes
And much like the over 100-year-old NLAPW that started because of the lack of opportunities for women in the arts, Yaghmai-Samardar and her sister Mahbod founded Art Through Women’s Eyes to showcase their art and that of emerging female artists. They had four shows last year and are planning several for 2007.

“Avideh has so much talent,” said Mahbod whose creative medium is photography and painting. “We started Art Through Women’s Eyes to display her art to the world. I’m not as talented as she is. She has always created unique works and encouraged other artists and educated them.”

Artistic Child
But Yaghmai-Samardar’s artistic vision began long ago and far away in Iran where the young girl painted watercolors under the guidance of her gifted oil painter mother, Victoria Ghahremani. Her sister Mahbod remembers when Yaghmai-Samardar joined her in the United States in 1979 at 13 years old, and that the young girl always drew and that her whimsical character sketches “were so unique.” The emerging artist became fascinated with photography and has filled boxes from that time of her creative pursuits.

Yaghmai-Samardar continued her education at University of California—Santa Cruz and San Jose State University where she studied ceramics and glass blowing. Now her love affair continues with pottery and painting in her magical watercolors and passionately colored acrylics.

Avideh’s World
Yaghmai-Samardar’s studio is a separate room next to her Almaden home where she lives with her husband of 11 years, Mehran. She calls it “Avideh’s World” where her muse tempts the eye with vibrant acrylic paintings of pomegranates, fields of flowers and earthy landscapes. A corner is dedicated to her ceramics—graceful bowls of free-forming shapes and brilliant glazes. Some showcase women with serious to whimsical moods with long flowing black tresses much like the artist. When she’s not creating or teaching her budding artist daughters, 6-year-old Ida and 5-year-old Tara, they joyfully generate their own works of art under their watchful mother’s eyes. The studio is “Avideh’s World” and it is fun to be surrounded by her creations whether visiting the showroom or attending ceramic classes.

Avideh Yaghmai-Samardar’s painted ladies series of ceramic pieces. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

“I saw Avideh’s ad for ceramic classes in the Almaden Times,” said Almaden resident and artist Rosemary Roney. “I enjoy her warm, very personable charm and her teaching style. She instructs you but lets you share your own ideas with her suggestions. And she even serves tea and cookies. I like her tremendously.”

But what is truly amazing about Yaghmai-Samardar is how much she does on a daily basis. In addition to the demands of family life with her husband and their daughters, she also works full time as a Senior Center Director in Menlo Park where besides her other responsibilities she teaches a ceramics class. She helps with art vista classes at Simonds Elementary where Ida attends school, as well as helping to plan this year’s Simonds’ multicultural fair.

“Avideh is fabulous to work with and brainstorm creative ideas for the classroom and the silent auction every year,” said Simonds’ clay program chair and ceramic artist Renee Kauffmann. “She is always so calm and levelheaded. She’s fantastic.”

Yaghmai-Samardar attributes her inner-calmness to her creativity, and she and sister Mahbod are busy scheduling Art Through Women’s Eyes exhibits for this year. There are weekly classes for ceramic students in her studio and she is always working on her own projects and commissioned work. “I try to fit art in my life wherever I can—it relaxes me,” she says.

“I have known Avideh for five years now,” said artist Faye Shehabi who has shown her oils at Art Through Women’s Eyes exhibits. “First and foremost, Avideh is such a caring and devoted mother and a good and helpful friend. She is a creative artist because she has so many ideas and is not afraid to apply them to her artwork. She has personally inspired me with good advice and showing me that any kind of creative thought should be expressed through art. And Avideh’s art is exceptional.”

“I am so lucky to be surrounded by so many talented women [and men],” said Yaghmai-Samardar. “They energize me and empower me to do more. We learn together and exchange good, positive energy and create art.”

The Future
In addition to creating and teaching art, Avideh loves to bake and garden. And what does the artistic future hold for Yaghmai-Samardar?

“I see myself in my own gallery,” said Yaghmai-Samardar. “Maybe a downtown shop I’ve acquired where I show my art and other artists’ work. I see myself promoting art and involving people in art. That’s the direction I see. Artists have so much satisfaction when they show their work. ”

For now, Yaghmai-Samardar is busy creating, teaching and planning Art Through Women’s Eyes exhibits. And there will be a new work of art in the household soon—Yaghmai-Samardar is expecting a baby girl in May.

For more information about Avideh’s classes and Art Through Women’s Eyes exhibits, call (408) 323-8781 or visit www.artthroughwomenseyes.com.

To celebrate with Yaghmai-Samardar NLAPW achiever award at the annual Celebrity Luncheon, call (408) 238-2340 or e-mail haugends@sbcglobal.net for more information.