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Mitra Kamali 

artist/engineer/humanitarian

 As a visual story teller, Mitra’s paintings depicts human relations in all forms. Her paintings are results of life experiences as a world traveller and her hunger for knowledge. The artistic quest in her paintings is to emphasize and celebrate our shared humanity and core values of love, justice, equality, sense of belonging and Joy, regardless of nationalization, religion practices, socioeconomic status or gender identification. 

Mitra has been an active member of the community with passion for art, humanity and equality through multi-disciplinary non-profit endeavors. Mitra’s vision to give back to the community became a mission following the arrival of her parents in the USA after eight years of house arrest in Iran. Since 2005, Ms Kamali is an active Board member at the Cultural Arts Coalition (CAC) in Arizona, a non profit organization that facilitates and promotes multidisciplinary arts and cultural experiences through educational youth and adult programming. Mitra held educational art exhibitions at ASU West in 2016, 2017 and 2018. 

She has been awarded the title of Scholar by Arizona Humanities for her contributions to the community. 

A critical thinker who evaluates data objectively, utilizing scientific and creative methodology and practices to solve complex problems. She is a self determined woman in her perseverance of engaging many social and environmental challenges. 

Persian Cultural Center in 2017, requested Ms. Kamali’s volunteer assistance whereby she was reaching out to city officials, regarding joining Scottsdale’s Human Relations Commission. In November of 2017, city of Scottsdale officially accepted the application and the Center became a member of the commission. Through this process many city officials for the first time were exposed to Persian art, history and culture. 

While offering art classes at the Persian Culture Center, she also organized several successful art exhibitions by local and international artists, refugee children art, as well as Persian artist’s creative endeavors. In December of 2017, Mitra was appointed to the post of artistic director and ambassador of community development for Persian Cultural Center. 

In early 2018, she made a proposal  for a Persian New Year Festival to the city of Scottsdale that was approved and hence Persian New Year Festivals are now yearly events. Later in 2018, Mitra proposed and received approval for the Persian Cultural Center to join the American Asian Association of Arizona, assuring The Persian Culture presence at the Asian American (AA) festivals. Through her leadership, the Persian community was awarded first place for the recognition of engaging the public at its cultural booth. During the 2019 AA festival, Mitra was recognized by Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane for outstanding performance and dedication to excellence for making a difference in the community. In Feb 2020 Mitra was voted to be Board of Director at Arizona Asian American Association. For the last few months with Covid-19 quarantine, Mitra has been teaching drawing by making short black and white sketch videos sponsored by Arizona Persian Cultural Center that is available to all. 

Her paintings “Water-Crisis diptych” were selected to be exhibited in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Museum in 2019. Mitra was also featured in “Thought Provoking Series” in LA based Voyage Phoenix Magazine in 2018 and 2019. 

Three of her abstract works were selected by Artlink-Phoenix jurors at Portland on the Park Art Collection Exhibitions 2019 and 2020. Herberger Theatre featured Mitra’s figurative/portrait art works for three exhibitions in 2020, “In the Spot”, “Candid” and “In Celebration Of Women” in honor of 100th year anniversary of the 19th Amendment. T

he later exhibition will travel to be on display at Capital Museum in Phoenix ( Exhibition dates to be announced later due to Covid-19). Postpone to 2021 due to the epidemic are exhibitions at Udinotti Museum of Figurative Art in Paradise Valley, Arizona and Only Gallery in Phoenix, Arizona.

 Ms Kamali received a Bachelor degree in Science Petroleum Engineering at Louisiana State University in 1981. Later she attended Scottsdale Community College and Phoenix College including art and cultural exchange work shops in India, Japan, France and Greece.