Yasaman [Toronto]
Yasaman Mehrsa is a Toronto-based visual artist with a focus on public art. Born and raised in
Tehran/Iran, she got exposed to art from a young age. She completed her studies with a Bachelor
of Visual Communication in Iran and later achieved Bachelor with honours in Visual Arts from
Brock University in St. Catharines/Canada. She uses both digital and traditional mediums. She
works on a wide variety of projects including painting, illustration, murals, and community art.
Yasaman’s work is illustrative in style with a focus on storytelling and exploring human-nature
relationships. Inspired by nature, she creates whimsical and vibrant art and expresses different
emotions to inspire her audiences to discover their imagination, feeling, and interaction with the
natural environment. Yasaman has mentored and instructed junior artists, art students, and
community members.
Mural Statement
Inspired by Alberta’s beautiful natural habitat, this mural depicts the beauty of mountains, scenery, trees, water, sky, and animals in the province. The design is a combination of the cold season/dark sky scenery with the moon on the right side and the hot season/light sky scenery with the sun on the left. There is a large human figure sitting at the bottom of the mountains, interacting with nature and enjoying being present while admiring the beauty of the view. The design also includes some of the iconic sceneries and animals in Alberta: prairies, forests, lakes, a black bear, a white-tailed deer, and a magpie bird. The magpie bird is known as “a bird of joy” and is considered a messenger of good luck. The bird flying toward the human figure is the representation of joy, love, and peace.
The dreamy and whimsical combination of the natural elements and the vibrancy of the colours are creating a welcoming design that will engage and invites the viewers to interact with the art and absorb positive energy. The mural will evoke a sense of wonder, belonging, and admiration for nature in audiences.