Recycling Plastic One Painting At A Time
Linda Mariano, Editor-in-Chief
Artist Pedjman Mohammadi’s collection is a breathtaking fusion of creativity and sustainability, transforming plastic waste into stunning abstract art. Each piece is meticulously crafted from recycled materials, merging eco-consciousness with aesthetic brilliance.
Pedjman’s artistic vision breathes new life into discarded plastics, turning them into unique, visually captivating artworks. His artwork offers a diverse array of colors, textures, and styles, ensuring there’s something to inspire every art enthusiast.
Art Business News recently met with Pedjman to learn more about his career and his amazing works of art.
ABN: Let’s start at the beginning — tell us a little bit about how and when you decided to make art your career.
Pedjman: I’ve been painting since 1995, but I started painting full-time just last September. Being a father of an 11-year-old, the future of the next generation is very important to me. My daughter is a very focused environmental individual: she gathers plastic and tries to recycle just about anything. So this last September, I decided to team up with her and try to work as much as I can with recycled materials to create my art. And that’s how everything started. Then I connected with Redwood and Artexpo New York to create my first exhibition in April, and the rest, as they say, is history.
ABN: One of the most intriguing parts about your work is that you’re not just using environmentally correct products to create the work, but you’re recycling things and incorporating them into each mixed media piece of artwork — and in some very interesting and compelling ways. When it gets down to the day-to-day of creating, what is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work on a daily basis?
Pedjman: Let’s see. Part of my timeline was living in Japan, part was living in Vienna. Living in those two countries informed me how to pay close attention to nature, recognize art, and pay attention to the environment around me. And that is essentially who I was and who I am. Those two experiences in my earlier life are still a big influence on me today. And then, the rest is really trying to be an environmentally conscious individual. I try to recycle as much as I can. I do believe there is a bridge between creativity and sustainability, and I can form plastic and create art and deliver that to my audience.
Pedjman Mohammadi at Artexpo New York
ABN: And the pieces you create are definitely show stoppers, not only from a size perspective, but they are dramatic and compelling. Let’s switch topics just a bit and ask you to think about people that you’ve talked to, people that you know, or people that you’ve read about. What’s the best advice that you’ve ever gotten, and how has that impacted your success?
Pedjman: Best advice I received was really from Redwood Art Group. I decided it was important for me to come to an art fair and present myself. I wasn’t expecting anything out of that experience. I just wanted to know where I stood i respect to today’s art business and art culture. Really listening to the advice I got, everything that Eric told me about price point and how to deliver myself to the visitors at the fair really helped me. Listening about marketing piece and how to put my booth together and curate my artwork to make the best impression really helped me to showcase and position each piece for the audience. I would say the best advice I received was really from Redwood.
ABN: Well, thank you. Wow! I wasn’t expecting that. So what do you do to market yourself and your art?
Pedjman: I leverage Instagram daily. I share my work and my daily work process on Instagram. I try to get out there as much I can, join art events as much as I can, and go to art galleries as much as I can. I think seeing art and speaking to people helps to create connections and relationships.
ABN: Making connections is so important. Whether it’s being at art events, whatever they are, really being present and working it. When it’s a first time, like one of Redwood’s fairs or even getting your work in a gallery, it’s important to remember it’s also the first time the work is being seen by that audience. So you might not sell anything, but it’s the networking and creating connections that can lead to amazing outcomes. Those connections build one on the other — and that’s how you start to establish yourself with a base and as a career artist.
Thinking about that, what has been your greatest success in terms of building your career and your client base?
Pedjman: That’s sort of a challenging question because I’ve really only been in this full time for less than a year. My greatest success really started at Artexpo New York. Like I said, I didn’t have any expectations, just wanted to see where I stood. It was remembering the small things, like “Hey, stand up in front of your booth.” It was one of the things that really captured everybody’s attention and drew them toward me, and I was able to talk to every single person. There were so many conversations that opened doors in all different aspects. In the fair, I was able to sell three of my pieces out of ten that I presented.
But then so much came after based on all of the connections that I gathered — I got commissions after commissions, two weeks, four weeks after. And it was a joy for me to be able to listen and execute on everything Redwood had advised me. And it worked. Even my Instagram account, I started with 250 or so followers when I was in Artexpo New York. today I have nearly 4,000!
All of these small things might be small, but it was a big, big victory for me as a beginner. And all of those are the things that really work. And I try to stick to those things, over and over.
ABN: What you’re really talking about is building blocks. It’s building a foundation, no matter what you’re building — you’re building a house, you’re building a career, you have to have the foundation, then you can stand on that foundation and it’s solid ground.
Just one more question. Any particular advice as an emerging artist that you would give an aspiring artist?
Pedjman: Well, I would say be honest with yourself and be consistent. Do what you’re doing day after day. Get out there, and build relationships. I think that’s the most important piece of the puzzle. And not only that, maintaining that relationship is very important. This means that whether you gather a phone number or an email address, reach out to those clients and individuals when you have events coming up. Enjoy the ride. Try not to stress and enjoy the experience, set the tone and set the mood. I think everything starts with the attitude — when the attitude is right and the attitude is out there it creates a positive vibe that captures attention. I think that’s very important. And I’ve experienced it first hand. So that would be my two cents.
ABN: You are so right! I think one of the things that has attracted your success is that if you are enjoying what you’re doing and you have a positive attitude. Sure, it can be scary. It’s your career, it’s your livelihood. It’s always going to be challenging. But I think you’re meeting the challenge. And congratulations.
And, Pedjman, if you don’t mind, we’ll love to check back with you in a year or so and see what’s happened then.
Pedjman: Absolutely, that would be great! Thank you so much!