About

Born in Tehran, Iran, Behnaz Karjoo is a recognized Iranian-American artist. She studied jewelry design and photography at the Fashion Institute of Technology before embarking on the classical arts. Under the mentorship of Mujgan Baskoylu, a distinguished master in Turkish illumination, miniature painting, and paper cutting, Behnaz began her practice and earned her ijazet, a certificate of mastery in illumination, in 2016. In addition to tazhib, she practices miniature art and square kufic calligraphy. She is a member of the New York Islamic Arts collective, and she collaborates regularly with Reed Society for the Sacred Arts. 

Behnaz has exhibited her works internationally, including San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Istanbul, Kuwait City, Sharjah and other cities. Her workshops and lectures have drawn audiences from around the world, where she introduces students at all levels to techniques of illumination, in both academic and community-driven spaces, including Frist Art Museum and the University of Pennsylvania among others. Behnaz holds the belief that while classical arts, including illumination, have a timeless foundation, their potential for innovation and growth is boundless.