Behnaz Ahmadian is a mixed media artist and art instructor born in Iran, raised in the UnitedStates, and currently living and working in Colorado. She works primarily with acrylic and mixed-media, often painting her own paper and incorporating specialty papers to create richly layered,textured surfaces. Her work is guided by a deep love of texture, pattern, and vibrant color,allowing each piece to evolve intuitively through material exploration.Growing up in a family of creatives, Behnaz was immersed in art from an early age and is a self-taught artist who spent much of her childhood creating in her spare time. She earned abachelor’s degree in biology with plans to pursue medicine, but her passion for art and designled her to a career in interior design. That experience continues to influence her paintings,particularly her confident use of pattern, composition, and color.Behnaz draws inspiration equally from both of her parents. Her love of color, pattern, andtextiles stems from her mother, a fashion designer who introduced her to drawing andencouraged creativity and meaning in every piece. Her connection to nature—organic forms,movement, and growth—was inspired by her father, who loved the outdoors, gardening, andplants and taught her to see beauty in the natural world. Together, these influences are reflectedin her work, where vibrant color, layered patterns, and natural elements come together inexpressive, joyful paintings.