As a guest speaker to mass media communication students Sept. 27 at Pleasant Hill’s Diablo Valley College campus, author, artist, mom and feminist Shiva Jafarzadeh, told students that “We all want the same thing — peace, security and love.”
These things are what exude from her sketches, paintings and newly released book, “The Orange Blossom,” for ages 8 and older. Born in 1975 and raised in Iran’s capital of Tehran, Jafarzadeh began her lifelong passion for drawing at age 6 while hunkering down in bomb shelters with her sisters and mother during the Iran-Iraq war. Her father was in the Air Force, and her family moved around a lot.Her watercolors, collages and prose all showcase multifaceted messages of freedom, sorrow, survival, unity, kindness, beauty, love and joy. Drawing was her way of surviving and coping with the terrors of war that would eventually find their way into her life in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
She also prefers to go by “Shiva J.” instead of using her full last name, but that’s another story that could fill a book. She left Iran in 1997 for many reasons.
“For my survivorship; a dream to live somewhere where drawing a figure was not a crime; I wouldn’t be killed because of my hair or makeup; I would no longer endure 30 slashes and penalties because I didn’t fast during Ramadan; I wouldn’t have to marry someone I didn’t love; I could work and be financially independent; I could live in a country that I can study art and talk about taboo subjects like sex or religion without fearing for my life,” Jafarzadeh said.
“I escaped because I was becoming a dangerous rebel to my family by spreading flyers about the anti-Islamic republic government of Iran and I was willing to go to any country where I could ask for a visa.”
Today a single mom and co-parent of 15-year-old son Lex — who says he wants to become a documentary filmmaker for human rights — Jafarzadeh lives in Lafayette and wears many hats. She’s a real estate broker, property manager, illustrator, space designer and an art teacher at her Walnut Creek studio on North Broadway called “Art by Shiva.”
“The Orange Blossom” (bit.ly/theorangeblossom), her first book (with more planned) is a 52-page illustrated novel, a poetic and metaphoric story about a girl named Silky and her grandfather in Iran. Every Nowruz holiday (Iran’s new year on the spring equinox on or near March 21), Silky’s family gathers at her grandparents’ orange farm.
The book follows Silky’s travels, memories and conversations with her grandparents. The Islamic Republic of Iran eventually took ownership of the orange farm, but the book highlights how the love she received from her grandparents followed her to the other side of the world as an adult.
“I wrote this book to show kids that although we speak different languages, we eat different foods and we have different holidays, we are all similar,” she said. “We all understand the joy of being with our family during the holidays, eating good food and we all feel the same sadness when we lose our family members.”
During a time when immigration issues are front-and-center in next year’s U.S. presidential campaigns, Jafarzadeh’s book has a message for adults as well.
“I wanted to share with adult Americans who might have a different perception of immigrants that no one likes to leave their hometown in a rush to a distant, unknown land unless their lives are in danger,” she said. “Most of us end up here and work harder than ever and appreciate our freedom more than what is presented of us in news and political ads in the U.S.
“More than banning books and building walls around borders, we need to read more colored and diverse books to kids and appreciate who comes here and works hard in farms, factories, industries, restaurants — and gets paid the least — for many citizens to have a better life.”
Much like a graphic novel, her book has more images than words.
“I wanted my readers to absorb the images and weave some of the events into their own imagination,” she said.
Not just her readers, she’s also cognizant of what she says to her son every day.
“As a mom, I have to think of every word I say to my son, because it will be an inner voice to him in his adulthood,” said Jafarzadeh. “As an adult in society, our actions and conversations will be our kids’ social and political view.
“Tolerance of intolerance is not diverse, its cowardice. No religion or flag is bigger than a war that is killing each other’s kids and silencing those who are fighting for basic human rights.”
After her talk at the Pleasant Hill campus, interaction design major Chasity Barwick, of Martinez, reached out to Jafarzadeh.
“I LOVED our speaker,” said Barwick. “I even sent her a personal message on Instagram thanking her for her time, boldness and authenticity. It was an experience I will never forget!”
Visit or contact “Shiva J.” at artbyshiva.org or her Instagram page (instagram.com/shiva_daily_sketch_book).
Reach Charleen Earley, a freelance writer and journalism professor at Foothill and Diablo Valley colleges, at charleenbearley@gmail.com or 925-383-3072.
