Call for Entries: K-12 Art Exhibition
Theme: Birds and Their Homes; Trees
Medium: Drawing • Painting • Mixed Media
Maximum Size: 8 × 10 inches
Selected artworks will be featured at the California Center for the Arts Museum during our Nowruz celebration on March 14, 2026.
Exhibition Date: August to March 2026
Please note: original artwork will not be returned. We recommend making two versions: one to submit and one to keep.
Email your artwork before Feb 28 to: info@persianplace.org
Maryam Bayat: Unrolling Paradise
Opening March 14, 2026, 12pm – 3pm
On view March 14, 2026 – August 16, 2026
Presented by California Center for the Arts, Escondido in Collaboration with Persian Place
The California Center for the Arts, Escondido presents Unrolling Paradise, an exhibition by interdisciplinary artist Maryam Bayat that examines the Persian garden as a living design tradition carried through textiles, memory, and everyday objects. Working at the intersection of craft and design, Bayat transforms traditional Persian rugs into sculptural forms, including furniture, abstract trees, and domestic structures that reflect on place and belonging.
Head Above The Clouds, October 2025- March 2026, California Center for the Arts Museum
Persian Place was a part of the collaborative effort behind this remarkable exhibition. Head Above the Clouds is an inspiring exhibition by Dave Eassa, currently on view at the California Center for the Arts, Museum October 4, 2025 through March 1, 2026. The exhibition was created in collaboration with The New Children’s Museum and Persian Place, which contributed to Spirit of Four Sails, a community-centered project and an integral part of the overall installation.
Fantastic Fish, March 2025, California Center for the Arts Museum
Young artists in grades K–12 were invited to participate in the “Fantastic Fish” art contest, a wonderful opportunity to showcase their creativity and have their artwork featured at the California Center for the Arts Museum during our Nowruz celebration on March 15, 2025. Presented by Persian Place and the Museum of California Center for the Arts in collaboration with Little Persian, the exhibition explored the theme “Fantastic Fish.” From goldfish and koi to tropical or imaginary fish, students were encouraged to let their creativity swim free using any art medium, including drawing, painting, or mixed media. In total, 200 highly creative artworks were showcased at the museum, reflecting the imagination and talent of young artists from across the community.
Cups to Connections: Global Gestures of Hospitality, March 30 – Aug 11 , 2024, Mingei International Museum
The Persian Place tea collection was proudly included in this exhibition at the Mingei International Museum, which explored how sharing drinks fosters connection and community across cultures. Presented in collaboration with The House of Pacific Relations, the exhibition featured international objects highlighting traditions of hospitality from Middle Eastern coffee rituals to Japanese tea culture and beyond and highlighted the rich social and cultural significance of tea in Persian hospitality.
Epic Expressions: Shahnameh by Seven Female Artists, February – June 2024, Mingei International Museum
The unique objects displayed in the niche at Mingei International Museum reflected the creative expressions of seven international female artists selected by Persian Place from February to June 2024. Seven international female artists were invited to create works inspired by the Shahnameh, a 10th- and 11th-century epic poem by Persian poet Abul Qasem Ferdowsi. The Shahnameh narrates the heroic tales of Persian kings and also acknowledged the pivotal role of Iranian women as influential nurturers and warriors in their communities. The showcased artists included Shirin Aghdaie, Sasha Furlan, Melissa Meier, Yasaman Mostajeran, Marty Ornish, Sara Soleimani Qashqai, and Soroor Sharifi.
Shirin Aghdaie is a Tehran University graduate who skillfully captures the Shahnameh’s essence through mirror work, a characteristic material in Persian decorative arts.
Sasha Furlan, a Croatian immigrant, explores Persian miniature art, embodying the spirit of Shahnameh in her paintings as well as reflecting on the evolving role of painting in contemporary life.
Melissa Meier, Santa Monica based Brazilian artist is known for her 3D installations using found objects, and has created a pair of beautiful but strong rose bud shoes for the installation.
Yasaman Mostajeran, a Newport Beach psychotherapist, elegantly revitalizes the Shahnameh’s verses through therapeutic art, especially through calligraphic forms.
Marty Ornish is a San Diego textile artist, and she addresses political and feminist issues with discarded materials, drawing inspiration for her displayed dress from Zoroastrian outfits in the late 18th century.
Iranian Pateh embroidery artist Sara Soleimani Qashqai intricately weaves Shahnameh tales and its women into curtains, infusing childhood stories and playfulness into her delicate stitching.
Soroor Sharifi, an Iranian jewelry designer, crafted a Phoenix-themed piece for this installation, which symbolizes resilience, rebirth, and women’s strength, reflecting her distinctive aesthetic and global influences.
Paint Your Rainbow, March 2023, Mingei International Museum
On March 27, 2023, Persian Place successfully presented the “Paint Your Rainbow” children’s art exhibition at the Mingei International Museum, showcasing 70 artworks from local schools by children ages 3–9. The exhibition theme, “Rainbow,” was created in loving memory of Kian, a talented nine-year-old boy who deeply loved drawing rainbows.
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