Education
Solo Exhibitions
Selected Group Exhibitions
Selected Juried Exhibitions
Awards & Grants
Reviews
Art Talks, Panels, Other
Teaching Experience
Collections
Affiliations

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EDUCATION

2010 Master of Fine Arts, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
Dissertation: Trans-(across, over, beyond); Investigations of Cultural Translation in Visual Arts.

2003 Honours Bachelor of Arts, Fine Arts, Studio Specialization, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario.

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SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2012  10/12/2012, Homer Watson House and Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2011  Somewhere In Between: Poems, Pallets, Patterns, Buffalo Arts Studio, Buffalo, NY.

2010 Trans-(across, over, beyond), MFA Thesis Exhibition, Art Lab, University of Western Ontario, London, ON.

2009 The Seeker & the Search, Solo Exhibition, Robert Langen Art Gallery, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON.

2008 The Seeker & the Search, Solo Exhibition, Redhead Gallery, Toronto, ON.

2008 Mapping of a Quest, Solo Exhibition (site-specific installation), Rotunda Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2007 What is not to be found is my desire: Solo Exhibition, Cambridge Centre for the Arts, Cambridge, ON.

2006 What is not to be found is my desire: Solo Exhibition, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON.

2006 Hear the Secrets Hidden within the Notes: Solo exhibition, Homer Watson House & Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2005 Hear the Secrets Hidden within the Notes: Solo exhibition, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON.

2005 Poetic Compositions: Solo Exhibition, Curated by SAVAC (South Asian Visual Arts Collective), Canadian Heritage Head Office, Toronto, ON.

2004 Poetic Compositions: Solo Exhibition, Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON.

2004 Poetic Compositions: Solo Exhibition, Rotunda Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

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SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2012 Metaphor, Meditation and the Age of Anger: Group Exhibition, Hamilton Artist Inc., Hamilton, ON.

2009 DIASPORArt, Group exhibition of works from the collection of the Canada Council Art Bank, Rideau Hall, Ottawa, ON.

2009 Production Still, Art Lab, University of Western Ontario, London, ON.

2008 Material Girl, Harbinger Gallery, Waterloo, ON.

2008 The Artist Project, Toronto, ON.

2003-8 42-7th Annual Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Nathan Philips Square, Toronto, ON.

2007 Crossing Borders, Kenan Center, Rockport, NY.

2007 Metaphor, Meditation and the Age of Anger, Gallery 96, Stratford, ON.

2007 Best of 06: Award winners from the 2006 TOAE , First Canadian Place Gallery, Toronto, ON.

2006 Studio Alert: Illuminating the Source, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2006 Rebirth, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto, ON.

2005 Poem as Image, The Studio, Armonk, NY.

2005 Philosopher’s Stone: Two person exhibition, Temple Studios, Guelph, ON.

2005 Showcase 05, Cambridge Galleries, Cambridge, ON.

2004 RBC Investments’ Cross-country Canadian Painting Competition Tour: Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, AB; Brunswick Museum, Saint John, NB; McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, ON; Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto, ON.

2004 Group Exhibition, Galerie Luz, Montreal, QC.

2004 Worship: Ontario Society of artists’ 130th Open Juried Exhibition, J. B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, ON.

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AWARDS & GRANTS

2010 Graduate Thesis Research Award

2008-10 Western Graduate Research Scholarship

2008 Ontario Arts Council’s Exhibition Assistance Grant

2008 Ontario Arts Council’s Emerging Artists’ Grant

2006 Ontario Arts Council’s Exhibition Assistance Grant

2006 Honourable Mention in painting, Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, Toronto, ON.

2005 Ontario Arts Council’s Emerging Artists’ Grant

2004 Central Canada Semi-finalist: RBS Investments’ Canadian Painting Competition, Toronto, ON.

2004 Ontario Arts Council’s Exhibition Assistance Grant

2004 Winner of Art Mine representation at Agora Gallery’s 2004 SoHo-Chelsea International Art Competition, New York, NY.

2003 Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery Volunteer Award, Waterloo, ON.

2003 Liz Edwards Memorial Award, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON.

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REVIEWS

2011 Dabkowski, Colin. “Cultural Infusion.” The Buffalo News, January 14.

2011 Ross, Veronica. “Cultural Connections.” Grand Magazine (Jan., Feb. 2011): 112-117.

2010 Matheiu, Emily. “Corporate Art: Not Just Pretty Pictures.” The Toronto Star, Sept. 7.

2010 Orpana, Jennifer. “Somewhere In Between: Trans- (across, over, beyond).” Intersections exhibition catalogue.

2010 Adzic, Jelena. Outsider Art. CBC: The National, Interview, January 31.

2009 Fraser, J Lynn. “The Tactile Abstractions of Soheila Esfahani.” Letter Arts Review 23 (2009): 29-41.

2009 Pritchard, Kari. “Visual Poetry.” The Cord Weekly, January 7, 2009, p.28.

2008 RBC Canadian Painting Competition 10 years, exhibition catalogue.

2008 Sun TV: Canoe Live, Toronto, ON, Interview, March 6.

2008 Reid, Robert. “Let Life Surround You.” The Record, February 16, 2008, C1.

2007 Dale, Alison. “Works by Iranian-Canadians at Gallery 96.” The Beacon Herald, May 16, 2007, p.3.

2007 Kurd, Nadia. Reflections on Metaphor, Meditation, and the Age of Anger. Exhibition Essay.

2006 Miller, Judith. The Mapping of a Quest. Exhibition Essay.

2006 Reid, Robert. “Diversity of Show Illuminates.” The Record, October 18, 2006, B4.

2006 McGhee, Carlie. Rogers Cable News: Today’s Waterloo Region, Kitchener, ON, Interview, March 3.

2005 Genocchio, Benjamin. “Art Review: Some Rich Pickings for the Art Lover.” The New York Times, November 2.

2005 Ariaratnam, Daniel. Rogers Cable News: Today’s Waterloo Region, Kitchener, ON, Interview, September 23.

2005 Reid, Robert. “Artist Profile: Blending East & West.” The Record, May 14, 2005, C1.

2004 RBC Canadian Painting Competition, exhibition catalogue.

2004 “Geographical Expressions.” Visual magazine 1 (2004), Art Review.

2004 Nestruck, J. Kelly and Julia Dault. “Brush Strokes of What’s to Come.” National Post, November 18, 2004, AL 6-7, picture.

2004 Gordon, Leslie. CKCO TV News, Kitchener, ON, Interview, July 16.

2003 Howe, Linda. “Stage & Studio.” University of Waterloo Gazette, April 2.

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ART TALKS, PANELS, OTHER

2011 Conference presenter, Shift: Dialogues of Migration in Contemporary Art, MacKenzie Art Gallery , Regina , SK , April 8-10.

2008 Sun TV: Canoe Live, Toronto, ON, Interview, March 6.

2009 Artist talk, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON.

2007 “Images of Faith,” Panel discussion, Kitchener Public Library, Kitchener, ON.

2007 YYZine Feature artist, YYZ Artist’s Outlet, Toronto, ON.

2006 “Sources & Inspirations,” Panel discussion, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

2005 Artist talk, Canadian Heritage Head Office, Toronto, ON.

2003-5 Artist-in-Residence, Homer Watson House and Gallery, Kitchener, ON.

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TEACHING EXPERIENCE

• Co-Instructor, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, 2009- 2010.
• Teaching Assistant, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, 2008- 2009.
• Art instructor, Homer Watson House and Gallery, Kitchener, ON, 2003-present.
• Educator, Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo, ON, 2002-2008.

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COLLECTIONS

• Art Bank, Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa, ON.
• Brock Solutions, Kitchener, ON.
• Private Collections: Canada, USA, Germany, Iran, Egypt.

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AFFILIATIONS

• City of Kitchener’s Public Art Working Group, Kitchener, ON. 2006-2008, 2010 - present.
• Redhead Gallery, Toronto, ON. 2007-2009.
• Propeller Center for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON. 2003-2007.
• SAVAC: South Asian Visual Arts Collective, Toronto, ON. 2005-2008.


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Soheila Kolahdouz Esfahani grew up in Tehran, Iran, and moved to Canada in 1992. She graduated in 2003 from University of Waterloo with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts with a studio specialization in painting. Esfahani’s work incorporates traditional Persian script within a modern composition. While the essence of calligraphy predominates and reveals an eastern origin in her work, forms, lines and texture attest to a western abstract influence. In her paintings, the mystical concepts of transformation, spirituality, and alchemy manifest through the meaning of poems by Persian poet, Rumi.