Embracing the Colors of Nature: A Journey to Shian Village

Stories of people who have spent most of their lives immersed in nature have always moved me deeply. Villages are where I find those stories. Upon returning to my country, I visit rural areas — I walk through them, engage with their residents, and sketch. It is my way of connecting with the soul of a place and embracing its memories.

This journey took me to Shian, a Kurdish village nestled in the countryside of Kurdistan province, western Iran — during strawberry season and the lush colors of early autumn.

What am I looking for in my sketches?

Every time I sit down to sketch a place, I am driven by the same quiet intentions:

• 01To sit, observe, and truly feel — not merely to look, but to listen with visual perception.
• 02To understand materials better through drawing — as hands often comprehend what minds cannot.
• 03To perceive the relationship between daily existence and the natural environment.
• 04To honor the quietness of rural living, where simplicity holds its own richness.
• 05To preserve what may eventually vanish.