In 1980, Torabi was born to Tabriz, Azerbaijan, in Iran and began painting at very early age. After finishing high school, he attended Fine Art University in Azerbaijan. He also studied traditional and classical Persian and Azari music in Nakh Javan, Iran. His primary medium was in oil and in sketching figures in pen. He had his first solo artist show in 2003 in Tabriz, Iran, followed by various award winning art exhibitions in the country spanning several years in Ardebil, Kerman, and Tabriz. One particular exhibition of interest was his one man show called “Bread for Life” presented in Almre, Netherlands, as well as Yerevan and Ararat in Armenia.

Wanting to share his passion and technique, he started teaching oil painting in his atelier in Tabriz, Iran, and on weekends he played music. With a life enveloped in the visual and performance arts, the professionally trained classical singer formed an orchestral band. They toured in Oromieh, Armenia and included concerts in cities of Karaj, Tabriz in Iran. The concert in Karaj resulted in his arrest and that of the entire orchestration. Torabi and company were forbidden by the government to be active in any artistic or musical appearances. To pursue his career and life in the arts, he decided to uproot to Turkey. When he moved to Turkey, he embraced his new found freedom to express himself as an artist, experimenting in different techniques and subject matter. His first exhibition focused on black India ink drawings in Kapajokga, Turkey. This show was the start of a new era for him; a rebirth. Torabi soon was awarded a teaching position in Turkey, where he taught many different mediums including oil, acrylic, and his most revered, ink. While life there embraced and encouraged all that he loves, Torabi actively pursued a move to the States to accomplish his dream of painting in the U.S.

In 2012, the United Nation’s artistic freedom refugee program afforded him the opportunity to move to the United States of America, where he quickly found his place for the arts. He currently paints portraits, landscapes, figurative, and experiments in abstraction professionally and resides in Georgia. His desire to grow, experiment, and expand as an artist keeps his mind and heart focused on his craft as he also continues to play music and sing with a group of musicians.

Deljou Art Group - Atlanta, GA

The Art Source - Denver, CO