Rashin Kheiriyeh (b. 1979, Khorramshahr, Iran) is an Iranian-American multidisciplinary artist, author, and illustrator known for her vibrant, surreal, and imaginative work inspired by Persian classical narratives. A war survivor, she was introduced to the world of art through her mother, an artist and midwife, and grew up immersed in Persian miniatures and classical literature. Working in oil, Indian ink, gold leaf and printmaking on canvas, Kheiriyeh developed a deep connection to both historical texts and contemporary society. Featured in The New Yorker and The New York Times, the artist explores themes of identity, feminism, belonging, conflict, and cultural heritage, blending historical depth with contemporary imagination.
In 2007, Kheiriyeh was among a group of contemporary Iranian painters featured in the traveling exhibition Wishes and Dreams, organized by the Meridian International Center and the U.S. State Department’s International Cultural Exchange Program. Her paintings have been exhibited internationally, including the notable exhibitions To Be a Woman at Dana Gallery, Montana; Two Parrots at Shirin Gallery, New York; Isfahan at Syra Arts Gallery, D.C.; and Cherry Garden at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, D.C. Kheiriyeh has also authored and illustrated over 100 children’s books, including Rumi: Poet of Joy and Love and The Shape of Home.
Rashin Kheiriyeh CV
Education
2012 School of Visual Arts, New York
2008 Al-Zahra University, Tehran
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Rumi, Poet of Joy and Love, Busboys and Poets Gallery, Washington DC
2021 Cherry Garden, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC
2016 Isfahan, Syra Arts Gallery, Washington DC
2014 Two Parrots, Shirin Gallery, New York
2012 To Be A Woman, Dana Gallery, Montana
2011 Me, Cat, Vali Gallery, Tehran
2010 My Beloved Story, Day Gallery, Tehran
2006 My Journey, Centre Culturel Français, Freiburg
Group Exhibitions
2025 DC Art Now, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Washington DC; Bologna’s Illustrators Exhibition, Italy; Original Art Show, Society of Illustrators Gallery, New York
2024 DC Art Now, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Washington DC
2022 Picture Our Journey, Katonah Museum of Art, New York; DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Washington DC
2018 Celebrate Persia, Pars Palace Gallery, Virginia; The Carl Honors, Carl Museum, New York; The Faculty Art Show, University of Maryland Gallery, Maryland
2017 Bologna’s Illustrators Exhibition, Italy
2015 Illustrative Berlin, Villa Elisabeth Gallery, Berlin
2014 Bologna’s Illustrators Exhibition, Itabashi Art Museum, Tokyo
2013 BIB Japan, Kawara Museum, Tokyo; BIB Japan, Ashikaga Art Museum, Tokyo
2012 Fresh Japan, Urawa Art Museum, Tokyo; Bologna Collection, Chiba City Museum of Art, Tokyo
2011 Open Studio, SVA Gallery, New York; Cutting Edge Artists, Pardis Mellat Gallery, Tehran
2010 Cutting Edge Artists, Pardis Mellat Gallery, Tehran; The House of Art, Iranian Artists Forum Gallery, Tehran; Iranian Modern Art, Mah-e Mehr Gallery, Tehran
2009 Bologna’s Illustrators Exhibition, Italy; Illustrators Exhibition, Itabashi Art Museum, Tokyo
2008 Noma Illustration, Noma Concours Gallery, Tokyo
2007 Illustrators Exhibition, Itabashi Art Museum, Tokyo; Wishes and Dreams, Meridian Gallery, Washington DC
2005 Annual Show, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
2002 Noma Art Book, Noma Concours Gallery, Tokyo
2001 Biannual Illustration Exhibition, Melt Museum, Tehran
Awards
2025 SCBWI Bologna Winner, Italy
2024 Nominee, Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), Sweden; Selected by Jury, Society of Illustrators, New York
2023 Nominee, Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), Sweden; Gold Seat, Junior Library Guild Gold Award, New York; First Prize, Premio Campoy-ADA Award, The North American Academy, CA; Anne Izard Storyteller’s Choice Award, New York
2022 Selected by Jury, Society of Illustrators, New York
2021 Sheila Barry Award, Best Canadian Picture Book of the Year, Toronto
2018 Selected by Jury, Society of Illustrators, New York
2017 Winner, Bologna Book Fair Illustration Competition, Italy; Special Prize, Nami Concours International Illustration, South Korea; Winner, Nowruz Banner Design, Farhang Foundation, Los Angeles
2016 Winner, Sendak Fellowship Award, New York
2015 CCBC Choices Annual Best-of-the-Year, New York
2014 Winner, Sharjah Children Reading Festival, Sharjah, UAE; Honor List, IBBY, Switzerland
2013 Special Prize, Nami Concours International Illustration, South Korea; First Place Award, 6th Tehran Illustration Biennial, Iran; Winner, Bologna Book Fair Illustration Competition, Italy
2012 Winner, Montana CINE Film Festival, Missoula; First Place Award, 6th Animation & Comic Contest (AYACC), China; Winner, Book of the Year Award, Tehran Book Council, Iran
2011 Golden Apple Award, Bratislava Illustration Biennial (BIB), Slovakia; Selected, Abu Dhabi Film Festival Award, UAE
2010 Winner, 51st Annual Illustration Exhibition, Communication Arts Magazine
2009 Crystal Roc / Simorgh-e Bolorin Award, 28th Fajr Film Festival, Iran; Silver Elephant Award, 16th Hyderabad Film Festival, India; New Horizon Award (Ragazzi), Bologna Book Fair, Italy; Winner, Bologna Book Fair Illustration Competition, Italy; Third Place Award, 39th Roshd Film Festival, Iran
2008 First Place Award, 6th Tehran Animation Festival, Iran; Selected, CJ International Illustration Festival, South Korea; Winner, Bologna Book Fair Illustration Competition, Italy; Encouragement Medal, Noma Concours, Japan; Letter of Praise, Zagreb Illustration Competition, Croatia
2007 Winner, Bologna Book Fair Illustration Competition, Italy
2006 Bologna Book Fair Illustration Competition, Italy; Winner, Book of the Year Award, Tehran Book Council, Iran; Winner, Masterpiece of Persian Literary Festival, Iran
2005 First Place Award, Katha International Illustration Festival, India; Second Place Award, Roshd International Book Festival, Iran
2004 Third Place Award, Roshd International Book Festival, Iran
2003 First Place Award, 6th Kharazmi Visual Arts Festival, Iran
2002 Encouragement Medal, Noma Concours, Japan
2001 First Place Award, 5th Tehran Illustration Biennial, Iran
Publications
Rumi, Poet of Joy and Love, NorthSouth Books, NY
Rose Weaves a Garden, Penguin Random House, NY
Seasons of Parastoo, Penguin Random House, NY
We’re Moving House, Walker Books, UK
The Shape of Home, Levine Querido, NY
Saffron Ice Cream, Scholastic, NY
Welcome Uncle Nowruz, NorthSouth Books, NY
Story Boat, Tundra Books, Canada
The Boy Who Said, Wow!, Simon & Schuster, NY
Grandmother’s Galore!, Abrams Books, NY
A Persian Passover, Kalaniot Books, PA
The Night Before Eid, Little Brown, NY
Arang, Arang, Tell Me What Color?, Kanoon, Iran
The Cunning Tailor, Grandir, France
If I Become a Mayor, Yeown Media, South Korea
