EDUCATION
2013 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Double Major-Graphic Design/Painting & Drawing, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 A pile on the floor!, Woodland Pattern Book Center, Milwaukee, WI
2022 Bridges, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
2021 For the love of Alif Baa, Roberta’s Art Gallery, UW Whitewater University Center, WI
Drawing words (online exhibition), CIRCA Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2020 52 Sites, OSProject, Racine, WI
2016 Lyrical Language, Alfons Gallery, Milwaukee, WI
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 If only you knew, messages through abstraction, 5 Points Art Gallery + studios, Milwaukee, WI
2023 Wisconsin Visual Artists Perspectives 2023, Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts, Fond du Lac, WI
Word and Image, Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts, Milwaukee, WI
2022 Between the strips under the stars, Catherine G. Murphy Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Adapted/Adopted, Kansas City Kansas Community College Art Gallery, Kansas City, KS
Breath of words, Phipps Arts Center, Hudson, WI
Mother/Nature, Alverno College, Milwaukee, WI
Continuum, Union Art Gallery, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
Trout Museum of Art Contemporary Exhibition, Appleton, WI
Positive/Negative Prospectus, ETSU Slocumb Galleries, Johnson City, TN
2021 Deep freeze (small works show), CIRCA Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Artists Without Borders: Reflection on Art and Place, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
Moving forward, MARN (Milwaukee Artist Resource Network), Milwaukee, WI
4th Midwest open, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
2020 [myriad] small works show, CIRCA Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
The Immigrant Artist Biennial [TIAB]: Here, Together! Mother Tongue/Language - online exhibition, New York, NY
Ossuary, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD), Milwaukee
2020 Wisconsin Artists Biennial , Museum Of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
Cartography of Desire, The Catherine G. Murphy Gallery, St. Paul, MN
2019 Small Works Members Show, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL
Truth as a Contested Concept, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago,
Verse / Us: Language and Power, Arts + Literature Laboratory, Madison, WI
Spark, Frank Juarez Gallery, Milwaukee
Indiana Green, 10th anniversary, Cedarburg Cultural Center, Cedarburg, WI
MKE Influences, Var West Gallery, Milwaukee
Abstractly Speaking, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago
I Contain Multitudes, Frederick Layton Gallery, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
2018 Abstract Thoughts, Miller Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI
365Artists365Days, Frank Juarez Gallery, Milwaukee
Wordplay, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago
Conversation, Ploch Art Gallery, Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Brookfield, WI
2017 Back to School, Villa Terrace Art Museum, Milwaukee
Women of Wisconsin, Alverno College, Milwaukee
Indiana Green, Arts Mill, Grafton, WI
Transplanted Eyes, Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, Milwaukee
Women’s Invitational Exhibition, Eismann Center, Richardson, TX
Let’s Draw, James Watrous Gallery, Madison, WI
Drawing Attention, Gallery 224 Port Washington, WI
The 6th Annual Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art, Irving Art Center, Irving, TX
60th Beloit and Vicinity Exhibition, Wright Museum, Beloit, WI
2016 Journey for Peace, Var Gallery, Milwaukee
Transplant Eyes, Instinct Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
Material Girls, Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Milwaukee
Origin 8, Pfister Hotel, Milwaukee
Beyond Language, Jazz Gallery, Milwaukee
Mentor-Mentee Program Exhibition, Var Gallery, Milwaukee
The 5th Annual Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Islamic Art, Irving Art Center, Irving, TX
Wisconsin Visual Artists Exhibition, Villa Terrace, Milwaukee
Wisconsin Visual Artists Biennial, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
2015 Miami-Project, Hinterland Art Space, Booth F4, Deauville Beach Resort, MI
Inspired: The Power of Art & Faith, Union Art Gallery, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Women of Wisconsin, Alverno College, Milwaukee
Beyond Language, Hinterland Art Space, Denver, CO
Timeline, RedLine Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
WVA South East Chapter Members, Cedarburg Cultural Center, Cedarburg, WI
The Art of Collage, Frank Juarez Gallery, Sheboygan, WI
2014 Timeline, RedLine Milwaukee
2013 Emerging Artist Gallery, Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, Brookfield, WI
Winter Juried Exhibition, Anderson Arts Center, Kenosha, WI
2012 40th Annual Juried Show, Union Art Gallery: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee (UWM)
3rd Annual Juried Student Exhibition, Kenilworth, UW-Milwaukee
2nd Annual Juried Student Exhibition, Kenilworth, UW-Milwaukee
39th Annual Juried Show, Union Art Gallery: UW-Milwaukee
2008 Design Within Reach, Milwaukee, WI
Wall of Fame Juried Student Exhibition, UW-Milwaukee
HONORS & AWARDS
2024 Mary L. Nohl Fellowship for Individual Artists, Established Artist, Milwaukee, WI
2020 Museum of Wisconsin Art, Wisconsin Artists Biennial - Best in the show, West Bend, WI
2015 Mary L. Nohl Suitcase Export Fund
WVA South East Chapter Members, Cedarburg Cultural Center, Cedarburg, WI
2009 Student Silver ADDY (American Advertising Federation Madison), Madison, WI
2008-2009 Dean’s List, UW-Milwaukee, WI
2007 Fredric R. Layton Foundations Scholarship Award, UW-Milwaukee
Curatorial
2019 I Contain Multitudes, Frederick Layton Gallery, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
PRESENTATION & LECTURES
2022 Art + Wellness talk, the power of art in bringing solace to everyday life, Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
Art + Wellness talk, for The League of Milwaukee Artists, WI
2020 Artists Now! Guest lecturer Series - Arts Center Lecture Hall, Peck School of the Arts, UW-Milwaukee, WI
2019 Guest lecturer - Art Survey 106, Peck School of the Arts, UW-Milwaukee, WI
2018 Guest artist – Expressive Drawing Class, Alverno College, Milwaukee, WI
2017 Guest lecturer - Art and Culture, Peck School of the Arts, UW-Milwaukee, WI
Guest lecturer - Art Survey 106, Peck School of the Arts, UW-Milwaukee, WI
2016 Community Lecture Series, Iranian Art & Culture, UW-Washington County, West Bend, WI
2015 Visiting Artist - Art & Language, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Visiting Artist - Kohl’s Art Generation Family Sundays, MAM, Milwaukee, WI
Guest lecturer - Professional Practices, Peck School of the Arts, UWM, Feb & Sep
2014 Bay View High School Career Day, Bay View, Milwaukee, WI
Guest lecturer - Professional Practices, Peck School of the Arts, UW-Milwaukee
RESIDENSIES & PROGRAMMS
2015 Creativity and Innovation AIR, Bay View High School, Bay View, WI
Milwaukee Artist Network Mentorship Program (MARN), Milwaukee
2014 MARN Salon II, Milwaukee
2013-2015 Emerging Artist Residency Program, RedLine Milwaukee
DEMONSTATIONS & WORKSHOPS
2023 Understanding your world through words and shapes, Woodland Pattern Book Center, Milwaukee, WI
2021 Drawing a step by step geometric pattern, Hamlin Garland School, Milwaukee, WI
2019 Teaching artist for Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 2015 till present, Brookfield, WI
2016 Teaching artist for various workshops, RedLine Milwaukee
2015 Teaching artist at the ArtXpress Program, Milwaukee Art Museum
Collage workshop, Contemporary Teen Night, RedLine Milwaukee
2018 Come, See, Do, Facilitating public program, RedLine Milwaukee
ADDITIONAL WORK ACTIVITIES
2020 MARNsalon Program Coordinator, 2020-2021 season
2020 Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) Mentee critique session
Member of MARN curatorial committee - ongoing
2019 MARN Board member (2019 - June of 2021)
Visiting Artist Critique: Artist’s Life Series, Carol University, Waukesha, WI
Member of senior student thesis panel, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
2018 Juror for alumni exhibition, Alverno College, Milwaukee
Member of senior student thesis panel, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
Critique session with senior students, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
2016 Juror for alumni exhibition, Alverno College, Milwaukee
COLLECTIONS
Musuem of Wisconsin Art, West Bend, WI
Jan Serr and John Shannon
Laurie Winters, Mussuem of Wisconsin Art CEO
Private collections in New York, Minniapolis, Wisconsin, Illinois, North Carolina
AFFILIATIONS
Woman Made Gallery, Chicago
Wisconsin Visual Artists, South East Chapter, WI
PUBLICATIONS
Artist Explores Dual Cultural Identities in MOWA Exhibit, by Michael Muckian, Feb 3, 2022
https://www.pbs.org/video/text-artist-mzgvtb/
Variety is the Spice of This Exhibit. Show presents six artists of very different cultural backgrounds who all work in the same building. By Catherine Jozwik, Aug 2, 2019
https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2019/08/02/visual-art-variety-is-the-spice-of-this-exhibit/
Gentle but Lively Repose: A Review of “Abstractly Speaking” at Woman Made Gallery. By Chris Miller, April 23, 2019
Bridge Over Troubled Waters, MIAD show features women artists from many countries bridging cultures and colors. By Todd Mrozinski, Feb 18, 2019
https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2019/02/18/visual-art-bridge-over-troubled-waters/
Interview with Bonnie North on WUWM Lake Effect, Friday January 19, 2019http://www.wuwm.com/post/friday-lake-effect-i-contain-multitudes-exhibit-mettle-and-honor-book-bubbler-talk
Blog post on Milwaukee Magazine featuring I Contain Multitudes
https://www.milwaukeemag.com/arts-and-culture-preview-january-2019/
Abstraction Focus of New Exhibition Opening at Miller Art Museum September 15, 2018
Wisconsin Visual Artists Magazine, May 2018
https://wisconsinvisualartists.com/public/article_full.php?user_id=747
Visual Art Review, Shepherd Express, “Back to School”, December 12, 2017
Visual Art Review, Shepherd Express, “Transplant Eyes”, June 27, 2017
Visual Art Review, Shepherd Express, “Material Girls” July 19, 2017
https://shepherdexpress.com/arts-and-entertainment/visual-art/gallery-night-day-d8/
WARM - Women’s Arts Resources for Minneapolis, “Transplant Eyes”, Instinct Art Gallery, MN, September 2016
https://www.thewarm.org/interact-sept-news/
M Magazine, Art & Culture Section in conjunction with the Material Girls Exhibit at MIAD, July 2016
http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=311829&p=&pn=#{“issue_id”:311829,”page”:88
Joanne Mattera Art Blog, December 27, 2015
http://joannemattera.blogspot.com/2015/12/fair-fetched-punctum.html
Miami-Project, Hinterland Art Space, Booth F4, December 2-6, 2015
Teacher Programs at the Art Institute of Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, February 2015
Utsanga, April 2015
https://www.utsanga.it/ghanbarzadeh-nine-works/
Visual Art Review, Shepherd Express, “Timeline at RedLine Milwaukee”, August 7, 2014
https://shepherdexpress.com/arts-and-entertainment/visual-art/timeline-redline-milwaukee/
365Artists365Days, April 7, 2014
https://365artists365days.com/2014/04/07/nina-ghanbarzadeh-new-berlin-wisconsin/