About the Artist
Visions in gold and color
A multicultural life
Minoo was born in in Tehran, Iran where she lived till she was 14 years old. Her mother was Swiss and father Iranian but she grew up speaking English in a multinational and multicultural environment. As a teen she lived in both German and French speaking Switzerland. At 17 she immigrated to the US where she remained for 10 years.
Minoo is well travelled and has found inspiration in countries like Brazil, France, England, Ireland, Italy, the USA or South Korea.
She currently lives near Lausanne in Switzerland.
Visit Minoo on Instagram: @minoo_artwork
Gold in the Arts
For centuries, artists and artisans have turned to gold leaf to make their creations shine. Found in everything from antique artifacts to modern masterpieces, shimmering gold accents can add an ethereal touch to any work of art. Read more
The Beauty of working with Gold
Today, many contemporary designers use gold leaf in their work. Gold leaf is not only a more versatile alternative to solid gold, it is also celebrated for its ability to accentuate colors and shapes with luminous details. Read more
What is a Gold Leaf?
Gold leaf is solid gold that has been hammered into thin sheets of gold. This process is called gold beating and the technique of using gold leaf to decorate a surface is called gilding. Read more
Art
Education & Studies
Minoo studied at The University of Maryland where she minored in graphic design and earned her bachelor’s degree in fine art in 1986. Later she studied under Jana Trnka, a Slovakian painter in Lausanne.
Jana Trnka’s tutelage and work were an awakening and big influence on her work. Under Jana’s guidance Minoo refined her technique in oil painting and learned Jana’s China ink technique. This is also when Minoo found her own style inspired by the paintings of Iranian painter Jafar Rouhbakhsh.
Creativity for Good
2004 -2012
Minoo led craft workshops for people effected by illness at the Swiss League against Cancer.
“Working with patients was one of the most full filling jobs I’ve ever had. The creative environment is like no other for patients to evade the daily challenges of illness.
Patients enjoyed the camaraderie we encouraged and were able to escape their worries together while focusing on their creativity. Many of our students adopted the techniques we taught taking them home to continue to use these tools for continued healing.”
2021 / 2022
Having several friends and acquaintances working in the medical field, Minoo felt strongly about showing her appreciation for their hard work. She decided to show her support in the best way she can and created a series of ink drawings named “Sérénité” and sent an original piece to the four biggest hospitals in Switzerland. The feedback has been very positive and the hospital staff thanked her for the positive initiative and thoughts.
Effulgence
Inspired by the circular nature of radiance, an inkling of the devine
Radiance
The radiance of celestial bodies with the marriage of gold and color
Convergence
Series base on the Mandala, the journey through the cycles of birth-life-death