Ben Bahreiny

Ben Bahreiny is a Persian-Iranian textile artist.

Bahreiny moved from Iran to the United States as a student when he was 19 years old. He received his degree in architecture, and managed hotels and food service while living in the United States.

He was inspired by his mother who taught him how to sew at a young age, and she also encouraged him to pursue needlepoint. What began with small repairs to clothing turned into precise exact sewing with bright color to create scenes on canvas.

Bahreiny never considered himself an artist; what he was doing was just a way to relax after a long day at work. Every day he would go home and cultivate his craft, whether it was only a half hour here or two hours there; needlepoint work became his therapy.

“I never thought of myself as an artist; it was just something to keep me busy.”