Cherrish Print

Sayeh “Saya” Behnam is a visual artist with over 20 years of experience. She currently lives and works in her studio in Northern Virginia. Statement: I use Natural color and flowers for my work. Tea and Saffron Series “My breath is like a wind in nature and these stigmas go wherever they want…my canvas becomes the receiver of my breath of life…capturing it’s essence in a gentle spray of color and form” Whereas Saya Benham’s “Gold Leaf” series is concerned with concepts of sacred geometry and material purity, the “Saffron, Tea, and Spice Series” goes into the essence and truth of who she is as a living being. The artist uses such natural dry mediums as saffron, hibiscus, borage tea, henna, and coffee to create her colors. These dried herbs and spices are steeped in hot water until they create the tones that the artist wishes to use. As Saya applies each color layer with Chinese brushes, a chemical interaction with the previous color layer occurs, creating further nuances of delicate tones. This process creates an element of uncertainty with all the possibilities of colors as they mix; yet the artist is in control as well. “Only at that moment am I able to achieve a particular color…all is continually changing, based on how and when I use each tone mixture. With practice I know what to expect, while I also love knowing next time it won’t be the same red or gold as the canvas or paper absorbs each application differently.” A primary element in this series is saffron, an ancient Iranian spice that comes from a gorgeous purple flower painstakingly propagated and harvested by hand, and only the morning it blooms. Like gold, saffron is precious; fragile, and known throughout history for its physical healing properties, it is the world’s costliest spice. After gently grinding the stigmas, Saya softly blows them across her painted surface, still moist with receptivity. Here her very breath has become part of the creative process, employing its power to create as well as document its fragile substance…it’s ephemeral essence. Flowing out from this supporting breath, the Saffron is free to momentarily soar and land wherever it will. As the artist through her breath marries the saffron and tea, the paper now bears witness to this moment of actual life as it is lived in the absolute present, and creates an intimate representation of her beingness.