Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rana Amrahova, an Azerbaijani-born painter and academic based in Northern Cyprus, brings together decades of artistic mastery and educational experience. Currently serving as a faculty member at the Near East University, Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, she has built a career that bridges classical and contemporary art education. Her work explores universal human themes through color, form, and symbolism, often emphasizing the harmony between nature, emotion, and beauty. In this interview, she shares insights from her artistic journey—from her formative years in Baku and Moscow to her teaching and exhibitions in Northern Cyprus—revealing how passion, culture, and discipline shape her creative world.

Looking back to the beginning of your artistic journey, do you remember your first encounter with art? What motivated you to pursue it as a career?

I began drawing at a very young age. I loved illustrating the stories from the books I read as a child. Around that time, I came across a book about Leonardo da Vinci’s life and creativity—it deeply inspired me and became a decisive influence on my career choice.

Although there were no artists in my family, they always encouraged my passion. At the age of twelve, I started attending art courses to prepare for fine arts school. After completing the Fine Arts High School with distinction, I was accepted into the Painting Department of the Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after V. I. Surikov, one of the most prestigious art schools of its time. That moment marked the realization of my dream and the true beginning of my professional artistic journey.

Your education took you from Baku to Moscow and finally to Northern Cyprus. How did studying art in different countries shape your perspective and artistic philosophy?

I received my formal art education in the 1980s—first in Azerbaijan, then in Russia—where classical realistic art formed the foundation of artistic training. Those traditional methods were remarkably strong and continue to influence my teaching today. I still value classical discipline as the essential groundwork for any artist, but I also integrate contemporary methods into my educational approach.

My teaching experiences in Northern Cyprus, and my collaborations with artists and academics from Türkiye and other countries, have introduced new perspectives and approaches to art education. I focus on helping students discover and develop their creative potential. The exchange between different cultures is always enriching, and for me, it has inspired new themes and technical directions in my work.

You have successfully balanced your academic and artistic careers. How do these two aspects of your identity interact with one another?

Being both an educator and an artist is not an easy path—true creativity requires complete devotion, while teaching demands discipline, time, and energy. I constantly strive to find balance between the two.

“Teaching and creating are in constant dialogue; each nourishes and strengthens the other.”

I have been teaching for over thirty years, and my interaction with students and colleagues continues to energize and inspire me. Conversations with young artists, their ideas, and their perspectives on the world often open new directions in my own art. Teaching and creating are in constant dialogue; each nourishes and strengthens the other.

Your exhibitions, “Message of Love” and “Light of Beauty,” attracted much attention. What themes did you aim to highlight through these works?

The central themes of my art are the human being and nature, the individual and society, beauty and aesthetics. I often explore femininity and the beauty of women in connection with nature.

“The core message of my art is love and beauty — I believe artworks carry a special energy that can make the world a better place.”

In recent years, I have also been inspired by universal themes and the influence of the digital age on humanity. People today interact not only with nature but also with technology, and that has found its way into my compositions through the use of words and numerical motifs.

The core message of my art is love and beauty. I genuinely believe that works of art carry a special energy that can make the world a better place. Viewers often comment on the harmony of my compositions, the originality of the imagery, and the soft modeling technique I use—known as sfumato. My greatest goal as an artist is to awaken a sense of joy, elevation, and inner beauty in the viewer.

You have been teaching and mentoring young artists for many years. What do you see as their greatest challenges in today’s art world, and what advice would you give them?

The visual arts landscape today is incredibly diverse, with countless new directions emerging alongside traditional forms. This diversity is exciting, but it can also make it difficult for young artists to find their own voice.

I always advise my students to seek their unique path, because the artist’s true mission is to create a new and authentic world. Technical mastery remains crucial—professional artists must be both craftsmen and creators. Real art is born from daily discipline and genuine inspiration.

“A true artist is not only creative, but also an educated and enlightened individual who carries culture and beauty into society.”

I also encourage young artists to observe nature carefully, to read, to listen, and to explore masterpieces across music, literature, and dance. Learning from the great masters is essential. A true artist is not only creative, but also an educated and enlightened individual who carries culture and beauty into society.

About Rana Amrahova

Assoc. Prof. Rana Amrahova was born in 1965 in Baku, Azerbaijan. She graduated from the E. Azimzade State College of Fine Arts (1980–1984) and later completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Painting at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute named after V. I. Surikov (1984–1990).

Between 1991 and 2001, she worked as an artist and lecturer at the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, later joining the Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts, where she served as a lecturer in the Department of Academic Drawing until 2016. In 2008, she was awarded the academic title of Associate Professor by the Scientific Council of the Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts.

Since 2016, she has been a faculty member at the Near East University, teaching at the Faculties of Architecture and Fine Arts & Design.

Her works have been exhibited internationally and are part of collections at the Baku Museum of Modern Art, the Cyprus Museum of Modern Arts, and private collections. Among her notable exhibitions are “Light of Beauty” (Baku, 2015) and “Message of Love” (Nicosia, 2020), the latter earning her the FERGÂNÎ Award for painting. She is also a member of the Union of Painters of Azerbaijan and the Union of Painters of Near East University and currently serves as the Director of the Walled City Museum in Nicosia.