PARASTOOGANJEI

PARASTOOGANJEI’Sexpressiveflowerpaintings

aregaininganardent followingandtheyare

equallyinspiredbyherWiltshiresurroundings

andherartistic family,shetellsSTEVEPILL

LEFTHappyRoses,

acryliconcanvas,

51x61cm

T

heWylyeValleyis oneofEngland’smanybeautiful

andlargelyforgottencorners.FormedastheRiver

WylyeheadseastofWarminsterandcarvesinto

thechalkyWiltshirehillsalongthetopedgeofCranborne

Chase,thisdesignated“AreaofNaturalBeauty”is dotted

withchocolate-boxvillages,quaintcountrypubsand

endlessgreenery.WhenartistParastooGanjeidescribes

thecountrysidesurroundingherstudioasa “beautifuland

engagingpartoftheworld”,it is easytoseewhy.

“Mystudiois ona hilltopwithfar-reachingviewsacross

thevalley,”shesays.“Itis surroundedbyever-changing

farmlands,theircoloursandshapesdifferingfromone

seasontothenext,butalwaysbeautifulandpowerful.”

Parastoowillventureoutintothelocalcountryside,

whichincludesthemysticalenvironsofStonehenge,

whensheis completingstudiesforherlandscape

paintings,butthebulkofherworkis completedinthe

studio.Her20-minutejourneytherethroughsuchnatural

beautyprovidestheperfectmorningpickmeup.“Every

dayis fullofunknownexcitementsandnewexperiences,”

shesays.“Drivingalongcountrylanesis a blessingtome.

Allthebeautifulandpowerfulnaturalviewsgiveme

inspirationtostartmydayanda newpainting.”

Whilesemi-abstractlandscapesdoforma partof

Parastoo’sportfolio,shehascultivateda strongfollowing

insteadforherfloralpaintings– andoneflowerin

particular.“I havealwayslovedroses.Inmyearlieryears,

I usedtopainta bunchofmixedflowersincludingroses,

butI wascaptivatedbytheinnatequalitiesofrosesand

Roses

Wild