The Run Away

Creator

• Sara Samimi, Ursinus College

Preview

Student Exhibition Year

2026

Description

Oil and watercolor painting with pencil and highlighter depicting purple flowers and leaves. Presented as part of the 2026 Annual Student Exhibit in the Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College.

Dimensions

18 x 24 inches

Artist Statement

My painting explores identity through the lens of Persian culture by examining everyday objects that hold personal and cultural meaning. Familiar elements of tradition and memory are highlighted in oil paintings of tea, flowers, and rugs. The sense of identity and home present in these pieces carries deep significance to me. The work represents my lived experience that I wish to share with the world.

There wasn't a Persian community where I was from. I did not have much opportunity to learn about or express my cultural identity. Most of my cultural experiences were from home and during travels to Iran. My work has become a reflection of who I've become as I have built a stronger connection with my cultural heritage.

Mostly focused on realism, with some impressionistic influence, I use a range of elements to bring my artwork to life: texture, color variation to evoke warmth and depth, and soft blending for atmosphere and a smooth appearance on my canvas. Influenced by artists like Iranian painter Daryoush Houshmand, I focus on balancing detailed forms with expressive backgrounds. For example, my use of a wash with yellows, browns, and blacks to create my flower paintings.

Today, Persian culture is not widely represented in the media or the arts. My work attempts to highlight the beauty of our culture found in ordinary objects and everyday practices.

Rights Statement

Copyright of the underlying work is held by the artist. The digital image presented here is for educational purposes only and is not for commercial use.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.