About Me

My Family

My name is Ameen (spelled Amin in my documents). I was born and raised in a middle-class family in Gonbad Kavous, northern Iran. My father is retired and was a mathematics teacher. My mother is a housewife. My brother is an English teacher, and my sister is an engineer.

Nature

I had the opportunity to be in touch with nature while growing up in Gonbad. We had mountains, forests, sea and desert close to our little town. I spent time in nature with my family on weekends as a kid.

My Interest in Visual Arts as a Kid

I made comics and animations and painted a lot when I was a kid. No one cared about my visual arts potential, so they made me study mathematics in high school. Nonetheless, I was crazy enough about it to spend all my spare time drawing and painting. But I never had a teacher to guide me. I had to figure it out myself.

A comic I made in high school based on an epic by Ferdowsi

Studying Architecture, Drawing All the Time

I wanted to study animation or painting at university, but my father strongly disagreed. For my higher education, I went to Ferdowsi University in Mashhad to study Architecture design. I lived in Mashhad for five years. After one year, I learned that I was not interested in Architecture Design and wanted to become a painter. But I couldn’t change my field. So, I got my bachelor’s degree in Architecture. While studying architecture, I took drawing classes and practiced drawing tirelessly.

I drew a lot as an architecture student. I drew self-portraits most of the time

Admitted into the College of Fine Arts

I was 23 then and a grown man, so I decided to become a painter. I took the entrance exam to study painting at the College of Fine Arts in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Out of about 1,000 competing students, I was the third, got admitted to the college, and began my journey.

Excited by the college of fine arts, I made paintings about drawing clubs

Creativity

My highest value in life is creativity. I feel an unstoppable urge to create. I don’t really care about the form in which I create. I try to be creative in my relationships, work, and environment. My medium of choice is painting, printmaking, and drawing. I like making videos, too. However, I’m not as skillful as I need in video-making.

I had fiscall difficulties as an art student. I had to work part-time, study and paint

Curious Like a Kid

I’m curious like a kid. I love to explore thoughts, places, and people. I read poetry, fiction, and non-fiction books. I love to learn new skills. I like to take new classes. I like responsibility because I feel powerful and free when I have responsibilities. I find meaning in new challenges. Challenges are opportunities to create things that never existed.

Bad at Feelings

I’m bad at understanding and expressing my feelings. But I’m trying to get better at it. I sometimes ignore other people’s feelings which is painful for them and myself. I spend more time than I should on social media. That’s something that I need to change. Sometimes I get snobby. Especially when it comes to topics that I’m good at. Sometimes it’s good, and sometimes it’s not. I need to find a balance.

Physycal Activity

I love to be physically active. I use a bike for transportation. I was a professional taekwondo player as a kid. I attend the gym regularly. I’m learning tennis now. It’s wonderful. I believe that being active is vital to being creative. It helps you think better and see better. And it is also healthy and makes you kinder to other people.