After majoring in painting at UC Berkeley, Ms. Varjavand lived in Iran where she operated an art school and gallery. Iran's 1979 revolution not only brought her back to her native soil, it spurred her to search for an understanding that might aid creative inspiration. Her quest to expand creativity in all aspects of her life encompasses her interest in women's status everywhere -- especially the repressed women of Iran. She has developed friendships with creative women worldwide and exhibits artwork of diverse media.

Thoughts:

My mask design, entitled "May Queen," began as an archetypical 'green man,' expressing my personal renewal, with its brown earthiness and a sparkling of greenery. The materials I added include fibrous cuttings from the trunk of my palm tree, twisted strands of a bird's nest, sewing notions and scraps of paisley from Iranian hand-woven silk. The paisley's round lower part is like a pregnant belly and its bent upper tip is a pose of humility - an apt symbol of the abundant forces of ever-renewing Nature. The matted palm fibers that completely cover the face, except for green ribbon on the nose, suggest the non-human aspect of the archetype. The paisley shape on the forehead represents third-eye energy and the bright yellow its crook indicates a jewel. Seeing the mouth as a coiled snake on a nest of eggs, I emphasized a reptilian shimmer with red and green glazes. The gold leaf accentuating the bird nest crown brightens the mask. Although I painted green hues throughout the face and aura, I left the palm fibers brown to suggest wild animal fur. In spite of its roughness, the mask is so completely feminine that I recognized her as the May Queen that my European ancestors danced around, celebrating the renewal of Spring.