Tara Vahab (b. Iran)
Education
University of Calgary, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Studies – Fall 2014
University of Calgary, Minor in Russian Language and Literature - Fall 2014
Professional development, City of Calgary Public Art, Calgary- 2015
YMCA, Personal Training Certificate, Remington YMCA, Calgary- 2019
Canadian Institute of Art Therapy, Therapeutic Arts Practitioner certificate – 2023
Public Art Production
2024 “Blooming Heart” meditative mural, CIWA (mindfulness room), Calgary
2024 “Infinity Cloud” meditative mural, CIWA (mindfulness room), Calgary
2024 “Circles of Communities” Puzzle Painting/ Interactive art, Artwalk in the Woods, Canmore, Alberta
2023 “Art & Beat” outdoor Art Therapy festival by LAS (LOUD Art Society), Century Gardens, Calgary
2022 “Inside The Heart” Sculpture, Residence Inn by Marriott, Calgary
2020 “Embracing The Uncertainty” – Video for Elephant Artist Relief Speakers, Calgary
2019 “Woven News” – Installation for Empathy Week, Kahanoff Centre, Calgary
2019 “Cocoon” – Installation, Nooks & Crannies festival, Okotoks, Alberta
2019 “Star Dusts” Galaxy Puzzle, interactive art piece, University of Calgary, Calgary
2017 “Wisdom Is Beyond Knowledge” -mural, The Alex, Abbeydale Place, Calgary
2016 “That Ours Is, That Is Us” - mural, Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids, Calgary
Exhibitions
Upcoming- Colours of Healing 2026, Calgary
Upcoming- Ethnographies of War: Stories of the Displaced 2026, Toronto
2026 “Resilience and Ruin- Exploring Nature’s Strength and Fragility” -Canmore, Canada
2025 “A Decade of Art & Healing”, LOUD Art Society, Astra Business Centre, Calgary
2025 “Discover Creativity, Embrace Diversity” First Step Together Society, Genesis Centre, Calgary
2025 “The HeART of Women’s Health” Libin Cardiovascular Institute, cSPACE, Calgary
2024 “Circles and Spheres”, Three Sisters Gallery, Canmore
2023 “I Belong”, KOAC (Kiyooka Ohe Art centre), Calgary, AB
2023 “Art & Beat” outdoor Art Therapy event by LAS (LOUD Art Society), Century Gardens, Calgary
2023 “Resilience Art Project” by Hispanic Arts Society, group exhibition, Calgary,
2023 “In Full Bloom” group exhibition, ATB financial Arts + Culture Branch, Calgary
2022 Solo, Selected Paintings, Vertigo Theatre lobby, Calgary
2022 "The Unknown Places" Painting series, Residence Inn by Marriott, Calgary
2022 “Timeless Eternal Art” , International Collaboration, China
2021 “Hats Off” CARFAC Alberta Group Exhibition, Edmonton
2020 “Timeless Eternal Art” , International Collaboration , Italy
2016 Tabestoon Festival, Olympic Plaza, Calgary
2015 +15 Windows University of Calgary, Art Commons, Calgary
2015 PUSH- Senior art students of University of Calgary Exhibition, C2 (former MOCA), Calgary
2015 Post Mini Auction, University of Calgary, Calgary
2014 Cenera’s Emerging Canadian Artist Profiling (ECAP), Ranchmen Club (Cenera), Calgary 2014 Faculty of Art Gala, University of Calgary, Calgary
2014 Tabestoon Festival, Olympic Plaza, Calgary
2014 PUSH- Senior art students of University of Calgary Exhibition, C2 (former MOCA), Calgary
2014 BFA-VIST art students Exhibition of University of Calgary, Little Gallery, UofC, Calgary
2014 Arts and Martinis, Davis LLP, Calgary
2014 Intramural Garden Solo Exhibition, University of Calgary, Gallery 621, Calgary
2014 Post Miniature Auction, University of Calgary Little Gallery, Calgary
2014 How I Ran, High Performance Rodeo art festival, volunteer visual artist, Calgary Public Library, Calgary
2013 Cenera’s ECAP, Ranchmen Club (Cenera), Calgary
2013 Hermitage Art Semester Exhibition, Youth Center of Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
2013 Artists for the Poor Art Walk, Calgary
2013 PUSH-Senior art students of University of Calgary Exhibition, MOCA, Calgary
2013 Post Miniature Auction, University of Calgary Little Gallery, Calgary
2013 Senior Sculpture Exhibition, University of Calgary Little Gallery, Calgary
2012 Cenera’s Emerging Canadian Artist Profiling (ECAP), Ranchmen Club (Cenera), Calgary 2012 Artists for the Poor Art Walk, Stephen Avenue, Calgary
2010 Red Deer Art Students, Bower Place, Red Deer
2010 IB Art Exhibition, Red Deer Public Library, Red Deer
2010 IB Art Exhibition, LTCHS, Red Deer
Performances
2025 LOUD Art Society’s 10 year Anniversary celebration event- storyteller, Central Library, Calgary
2024- (5 events) Women! Life! Freedom! Therapeutic & Expressive Art and song writing sessions Calgary, AB
2024- TD Amplify Part 3, 2 shows, Cabaret Performance and storytelling (songs, spoken words and visual arts), TD Incubator, Arts Commons, Engineers Air Theatre, Calgary
2023 “ I Belong” music Performance, Talk and Storytelling, KOAC, Calgary
2022 “ I Am Not Lost” Performance and Storytelling, Residence Inn by Marriott, Calgary
2020 “Artist’s Stories” Podcast host, LOUD Art Society, Calgary
2020 “Art! Refuge or Healing?”, guest at Coach Arash psychology Podcast, Ervine, USA
2019 Valhalla Fine Arts music performance (violin), Silverton, BC
2019 Calgary Community String Orchestra music performance(violin), Calgary
2018 Calgary Community String Orchestra music performance (violin), Calgary
Professional Experience
Work
2024- 2025, Interim Executive Director CARFAC Alberta, Edmonton & Calgary
2021-2024 Engagement Coordinator CARFAC Alberta, Calgary
2016- current Executive Director LOUD Art Society, Calgary
2014-2015 Technical Assistant- Woodshop Art Department University of Calgary
2008-2014 Retail- Customer Service & Sales Associate (Edible Arrangements, The Bay Jewelry department, Ben Moss Jewelers, Magenta Photo Studio)
Lecture
2026 Artist Talk “My Journey in Healing, Creation and Advocacy”-University of Calgary
2024- current “Advanced Creative Acrylic Painting” Art 209, Continuing Education University of Calgary
2024- current “Sketching Fundamentals” Art 336 online, Continuing Education University of Calgary
2023- current “How to Draw” Art 201online, Continuing Education University of Calgary
2022- current “Creative journaling” Art Therapy sessions on various topics at LOUD Art Society online: presented at Soul Sanity in UK, Writers Guild of Alberta, Alcove Art Centre, CIWA , YES Centre, Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth and Centre for Newcomers in Calgary
2022- current “Drawing 1- Art 314” Continuing Education University of Calgary in person & online
2021- 2025, Art & Artist advocacy presentations on Best Practices, Artist fees and art career development at CARFAC Alberta, AB
2019 - current “Creative Acrylic Painting” Art 109, Continuing Education University of Calgary in person & online
Jury Committee Member
2025- Wood Buffalo Excellence in Arts Awards 2025, Wood Buffalo
2025- ACACA Art Show 2025 Southern Zone, Drumheller
2023- Eldon and Anne Foote Edmonton Visual Arts Prize 2023, Edmonton
Artist Working in Community
2017- current, Creator of Self-Therapeutic Art Program, Instructor, motivator, mentor
2015 Professional development, City of Calgary Public Art, Calgary
Exhibition Curator & Coordinator
Upcoming- Unity in Diversity: “Colours of Healing” Group Exhibition 2026
2025 “Unity in Diversity- A Decade of art & Healing” Group exhibition, LOUD Art Society with Astra Business Centre & Residence Inn Calgary Downtown
2020 “I AM NOW” virtual group exhibition, LOUD Art Society & UofC continuing education
2014-2015 PUSH- Senior art students of University of Calgary Exhibition, C2 Gallery (former MOCA), Calgary
Volunteering
2023- current Art Acquisition and Program Committee member, Board member
KOAC (Kiyooka Ohe Art Centre), Calgary
2016- current, President, LOUD Art Society Board of Directors member, Calgary
2015-2018 Art Instructor and Artist in Community, LOUD Art Society,(Alberta Children’s Hospital, CUPS, Bb4ck and The Alex), Calgary
2015 Art Therapy at Alberta Children’s Hospital, Calgary
2014 & 2016 Tabestoon Festival, Olympic Plaza, Calgary
2014 Post Miniature Auction, Little Gallery, University of Calgary, Calgary
2014 High Performance Rodeo Art Festival, “How I Ran” volunteer visual artist, Calgary Public Library, Calgary
2010 Art Therapy at Hospital, Red Deer Hospital, Red Deer
Publications/ Media
2026 Panel Discussion “Empowerment Through the Arts”, UCLA Salamat, USA
2026 Panel Discussion “Art- boundaryless language of Unity”, South Bay Persian Heritage Foundation, California, USA
2026 Panel Discussion “Mental Healthy Capacity Building through the Arts” at Saffrony podcast
2025 Panel discussion “ Art Therapy” at Saffrony podcast, New Zeeland
2025 Arts & Culture at Windspeaker Media - by Daniel Barker Trembley, Alberta news
2024 Art, Sports, Nature, Connect in Canmore- by Mathew Thompson , Rocky Mountain Outlook, Canmore news
2024 Exploring Creativity and Belonging- Article on KOAC website
2023 Art & Beat by LOUD Art Society charity by Sepidar Valian, Iran International News, Calgary
2023 KOAC blog, Tools and Tips for Successful Art Residencies
2023 KOAC newsletter, First Artist in Residence of 2023
2022 “Making art and Taking Care of Your Mental Health in Calgary” by Danina Falkenberg, City News, Calgary
2022 "Calgary Hotel Offers Space for Artist to Create" by Danina Falkenberg, City News , Calgary
2020 Guest Artist on Clancy Tucker’s Blog- Australia
2020 “The Heroine’s Journey Of Tara Vahab” Blog by Peter deKuster- Germany
2019- Upcoming book : “Self-Therapy through Art and Creativity, A Guide to Higher Emotional Intelligence”
2019 “Calgary Empathy Week” about thinking of others, LiveWire Calgary, Independent News
2013 Persian Art through Miniature Illustrations, PGC Magazine- Global Fest edition, Calgary
Collections
2023 “I belong” sculpture, Kiyooka Ohe Art Centre, Calgary
2023 “LOUD23” abstract painting series, Private Collection, AB, BC
2023 “The Guru” Inspired by Nanak Dev Ji, Private Collection, Calgary
2023 “Inside The Heart” Residence Inn Calgary Downtown by Marriott, Calgary
2022 “Internationalization” Residence Inn Calgary Downtown by Marriott, Calgary
2022 “ The Hidden Corner 1” Private Collection, Okotoks
2020 “Farm Life on Antique Metals” Private Collection, Vauxhall
2020 “Woven Christmas Tree” Private Collection, Calgary
2018 “Invisible Hands” Privet Collection, Calgary
2014 “Lake In My Dreams” Private Collection, Calgary
2013 “Sylvan Lake” Solium Capital Inc. Calgary
2012 “The Sun” Cenera Inc. Calgary
Awards
2025 Nominated candidate 40 Under 40 Calgary Magazine- not selected
2024 Nominated candidate 40 Under 40 Calgary Magazine- not selected
2023 Calgary Arts Development Individual Artist project Grant, Calgary
2023 Cultural Leaders Legacy Award, Calgary Arts Development, Calgary
2023 Alberta Foundation for the Arts individual artist project grant, Calgary, AB
2023 Alberta Artist in Residence/Arts Ambassador shortlisted, High Level of Artistic Excellence grant, AB
2023 KOAC Art Residency, Art production and mentorship by Katie Ohe, Calgary
2023 Elizabeth Queen II Jubilee medal recipient, Outstanding Services, Alberta
2023 Calgary Arts Development Art Share program, micro grant, Calgary
2021 AIRI (Artist in Residence Inn) by Marriott Calgary Downtown, residency, Calgary
2019 Valhalla Fine Arts Bursary, music performance, Silverton, BC
2019 Calgary Community String Orchestra Bursary, music performance, Calgary
2018 Calgary Community String Orchestra Bursary, music performance, Calgary
2018 Individual Artist Program grant, Calgary Arts Development Authority, Calgary
2014 Jason Lang Scholarships, Outstanding academic achievements, Calgary
2014 John P.L. Roberts scholarship, Undergraduate Nominated-Continuing Students, Calgary
2014 Nominated participant of BMO 1s t Award art competition
2013 Jason Lang Scholarship, Outstanding academic achievements, Calgary
2013 Student Peer Assistance Undergraduate Bursary, Calgary
2013 Bow Fort Chapter I.O.D.E. Bursary, Calgary
2013 Hermitage Scholarship Award, Travel to St. Petersburg and Museum Residency, Russia
2012 Jason Lang Scholarship, Outstanding academic achievements, Calgary
2011 Jason Lang Scholarship, Outstanding academic achievements, Calgary
2008 Excellent Art Award, Lindsay Thurber High School (LTCHS), Red Deer