“Art has taught me to never be afraid of making mistakes, because I’ve learnt to find a way to fix it”

Effie Dastyar is an Iranian artist based in Melbourne, Australia.
As a kid, she was always interested in art. Effie got a Fine Art degree from “Azad University” in Tehran. She also studied with several experts and knowledgeable teachers such as “Abbas Katouzian” in Iran. She also got a degree in “English Studies-Literature” from “Wawasan University” in Malaysia. Effie did some research and essays related to art and art therapy, such as how to use art to make kids more creative, how art therapy can help migrant kids adapt to a new country, and how art can help us be mindful and calm.
Effie thinks that doing art is kind of similar to meditating. She believes that art opens a new window to a colourful world for her. Effie says that “art has taught me to never be afraid of making mistakes, because I’ve learnt to find a way to fix it”.
Effie set up her own gallery called “Mentative Art” in Melbourne. Some art classes run in the gallery and some artworks are for sale.
With 15 years experience as a teacher, both in Melbourne and Iran, Effie teaches both weekly classes and workshops in portraiture and still life. She would like to pass all her knowledge to the next generation.
Effie’s art is realistic and she tries to connect to the outside world with her inner feeling through art. Some of her art comes from her emotions and childhood memories.