5 Questions with the Artist “Atefeh Nejati”
Phoenix Art Group introduces artist Honey Taheri through five questions about her inspiration, creative process, artistic language, and the deeply personal stories behind her work.
1. What inspires you the most as an artist?
I am inspired by many things — color, light, nature, spaces, memories, and the emotions hidden within everyday moments. But more than anything, my inspiration comes from my feelings and state of mind at a particular moment.
Sometimes a color, a light, a place, or a simple experience can stay in my mind and slowly become the beginning of a new artwork. I believe that art often begins with a feeling before it becomes an image.
2. What is your favorite medium or technique to work with, and why?
I am particularly drawn to Vitrail and mosaic, although I also work with resin.
With Vitrail, I love the beauty of color, transparency, and especially the way light passes through the glass and transforms the colors. I also love how this medium allows me to explore the richness and beauty of Iranian artistic influences.
Mosaic attracts me for a completely different reason. I love the contrast between hard, seemingly lifeless pieces and what they can become when brought together. With mosaic, I can take something solid and without apparent emotion and transform it into something that can touch and soothe the soul.
3. Which of your artworks feels the most personal or meaningful to you?
Tears in Heaven is perhaps the most personal artwork I have created.
I created it during a deeply transformative period of my life, when I was experiencing many layers of change, uncertainty, and emotion. The idea behind the piece comes from something I believe many of us experience: the need to wear a mask of happiness and appear composed, even when we may be struggling quietly within ourselves.
From the outside, people often see only what we choose to show them, while an entirely different emotional world may exist beneath the surface.
This was also my first experience with mosaic, which made the process even more meaningful. Every small piece became part of a journey of patience, mistakes, learning, and starting again.
It may not be my most technically perfect work, but it is one of the works I hold closest to my heart, because only I know the story behind every piece.
For me, Tears in Heaven is ultimately about hidden emotions, quiet resilience, and the strength to keep creating while putting yourself back together.
4. How would you describe your artistic style in three words?
Luminous. Emotional. Authentic.
I chose these words because light and color are at the heart of my work, while emotion is often where my creative process begins. Authenticity is important to me because I want my artworks to carry something genuinely personal rather than simply follow a particular trend.
5. What do you hope people feel or experience when they see your artwork?
I hope people experience both beauty and emotion when they see my work.
I want the colors, light, and textures to draw them in first, but I also hope that something deeper stays with them — a memory, a feeling, or perhaps something they have quietly carried within themselves.
If my artwork can make someone pause for a moment, step away from the outside world, and connect with something personal, then I feel it has truly reached them.
Artist Biography
Atefeh Nejati is a contemporary artist working primarily with Vitrail, mosaic, and resin. Her artistic journey began around 2016–2017, when she started attending art classes and professional courses. She continued to develop her artistic practice through independent exploration, experimentation, and years of dedicated self-development.
Her work is deeply inspired by color, light, texture, and emotion. She is particularly drawn to Vitrail for its transparency and the way light passes through and transforms color, allowing her to explore the beauty and visual richness of Iranian artistic influences.
In mosaic, she finds a different kind of beauty — the transformation of hard, seemingly lifeless materials into something expressive and capable of touching the viewer emotionally.
Her artistic journey has included participation in international art events, including ART SHOPPING at Carrousel du Louvre in Paris in 2025, represented by Phoenix Art Group, and World Art Dubai 2025, as well as exhibitions in private galleries. She has also participated in live painting events held in support of Breast Cancer Awareness during October.
Through her work, Atefeh seeks to create pieces that are visually captivating while carrying an emotional layer beneath the surface. Her intention is to invite viewers to pause, feel, and discover their own personal connection with the artwork.
