Margy: Hi, welcome to A Few Minutes with Margy. I'm Margy Lyman with Dudum Real Estate Group, and today I’m here with a special guest, my friend Leila Azari, a talented artist known for her paintings and mosaics. Leila, you have a fascinating background—you’re from Iran and started painting at just seven years old.

Leila: Yes, I started painting early because I felt art was in my soul. It’s a way to express myself and communicate with people.

Margy: That’s amazing. So, you took art classes in school and continued painting. How long were you in Iran before moving to the U.S.?

Leila: I lived in Iran until I was 25. After finishing university, I started working, then married a U.S. citizen and moved here in 2007. I went to college to learn English, then worked at St. Catherine of Siena School in Martinez for two and a half years. But I wanted to create my own path, so in 2010, I started my own business, Leila Art Gallery. Since then, I’ve participated in many exhibitions across the U.S., including in San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Seattle. I might be heading to Chicago soon for another show.

Margy: That’s fantastic! And we can’t forget Latte—she’s a big part of today’s conversation too.

Leila: Yes! She’s my little sweetheart.

Margy: You were telling me about this painting. Can you explain its meaning?

Leila: Sure. This piece represents the fight for freedom in Iran, especially for women. After Mahsa Jina Amini’s death in 2022, women protested against mandatory hijabs. In my painting, the woman wears a delicate lace, symbolizing choice rather than forced covering. Her hair is a rainbow, representing LGBTQ+ people in Iran, who have no rights and cannot live freely like they can in the U.S.

Margy: That’s powerful. How did you learn to paint portraits?

Leila: When you practice and teach art, you develop techniques for drawing faces and bodies. It’s hard to explain—it just happens. Sometimes, I use my own body as a reference in my paintings.

Margy: She does resemble you! When did you sell your first piece?

Leila: In 2012. It was a small wood painting. A woman walked into my gallery in Walnut Creek, loved it, and asked for the price. I said $50, but she insisted on paying $100. That was my first sale.

Margy: Do you still paint on eggs?

Leila: Yes! Let me show you.

(Leila brings out her painted eggs.)

Margy: Wow! These are beautiful, so detailed.

Leila: Thank you. This is called miniature painting, an ancient art form in Iran, also seen in China and Japan.

Margy: You faced challenges during COVID, right?

Leila: Yes, I had to close my Walnut Creek studio, so I moved my work home. I taught backyard classes with masks and social distancing and even did online lessons. My students love art, and some are very talented.

Margy: Where can people find your work?

Leila: I’m on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Threads, and Etsy under Leila Art Gallery.

Margy: I’ll include your details below. You’re so talented, and I’m so glad to know you.

Leila: Thank you.

Margy: I’m Margy Lyman with Dudum Real Estate Group. If you’re interested in Leila’s art or commission work, reach out. If you know someone who’d like to be featured on A Few Minutes with Margy, let me know.

Leila: Thank you!

Margy: Thank you!