Born and raised in Iran, Toronto-based artist Sheida Shekarian is drawn to our shared experiences and what it means to be human. While she has worked on photoshoots, in graphic design, and admires a variety of creative fields, Sheida always returns to illustration. Her narrative-based visuals incorporate a sense of humour and deep appreciation for the complexity of our lives as social creatures yearning to be understood by one another. Her book opens with a quote from Dr. Gabor Maté — “There is no closeness that can surpass the sense of feeling known and still being liked, accepted, welcomed, invited to exist” — a statement which encompasses the intention behind her images:

“Each piece is an invitation to remember moments spent in the presence of others. Most of my fondest memories have within them, both in the foreground and background, the presence of friends, classmates, family and even strangers. That warm feeling of being surrounded by others, sometimes being loved and at best times being seen, is the place in which each image gets created from.”

“A Few Views” was selected as one of the winners of our 2022 Art & Photo Book Award. With support from Artmobile, we helped Sheida turn a selection of her work into a book! If you want the opportunity to publish a book of your own, today is the last day to apply for the 2023 Art & Photo Book Award! More images from “A Few Views” below.