Blessed Sacrament Catholic Elementary/Middle Schools receive an Artist in Residence grant

IC photo courtesy of S. West

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Artist in Residence Fahimeh Amiri (center) gives instruction to fifth-graders Kennedy Pullan (left), Dominick Lopez, and Kelly Zinman. The students were amazed at the talent Amiri found in them they did not know they had.

by Sonia West

Advancement Director

Blessed Sacrament School

SANDY — Blessed Sacrament Catholic Elementary and Middle Schools were awarded an Artist in Residence grant through the Utah Arts Council for the 2007-2008 school year.

The artist chosen to participate in this program was Fahimeh Amiri. This was a 40-hour program over the course of four weeks and included fifth through eighth grades.

Amiri grew up in Tehran, Iran. In the second grade, she became the pupil of Professor Hossein Behzad, then the greatest living Persian miniaturist. She apprenticed with him for many years.

Amiri attended the Tehran School of Fine Arts becoming the first female to earn the school’s highest honors. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 1973 from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University.

Gaining international attention through her exhibits, Amiri was selected to hand-paint fragrance bottles for Ralph Lauren, a world renowned fashion designer and business executive. Amiri has received the Norman Rockwell Award for illustration, and has illustrated numerous children’s books.

She is an extremely competent, versatile, and effective visual arts teacher. During her residency she inspired the children and helped them create beautiful Persian patterns. Amiri was able to get the students to use their imaginations to create patterns that even amazed the children.

Each student had his or her work displayed at the school during parent teacher conferences the week of October 22.

Before Amiri left Blessed Sacrament School, she presented Jackie Burns, Blessed Sacrament School art teacher with a children’s book. Amiri autographed the book, which is now in the school library.

Blessed Sacrament School students, parents, and administration are extremely thankful to the Utah Arts Council and the National Endowment of the Arts for sponsoring the Artist in Residence program.