Cyrus Afsary

Biography

Cyrus Afsary is known for works of art that not only capture moments in time but create moods about people and places as well. With an eclectic range of subjects, Afsary moves from portraits to still lifes to landscapes with a magical grace that reflects his sensitive and emotional study of life. As a child, his love for art was evident. And while his father was concerned about his penchant for art, his mother encouraged his talent.

Afsary received commissions for painting portraits, which served him well later in his career when he was invited to paint portraits of John Wayne, Sylvester Stallone, Frank Sinatra, Susan Anton, Dean Martin, and Wayne Newton’s horse, Aramis. In college, Afsary earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees, one in Fine Arts and the other in interior design. His education has led him, through the years, to paint a wide variety of subjects in his preferred medium, oil, and sometimes watercolors and pastels. He has been greatly influenced by the artwork of the masters, especially the great Russian artists, Ilya Repin and Valentin Serov and also European artists.

Education
Conservatorium of Art
University: B.A. Fine Art & Interior Design

Selected Group Exhibitions
Autry National Center, Masters of the American West, Los Angeles, California, 2014-2016
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Prix de West, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 2014
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, Small Works, Great Wonders, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Cody, WY
Gilcrease Museum, Rendezvous, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2002

Selected Press
Art of the West, (Cover), January/February, 2015
Western Art Collector, (Feature), December, 2009
Western Art Collector, February, 2008
American Artist, (Feature), March, 2002
Art of the West, (Cover) July/August, 1999
Southwest Art, January 1987
Who’s Who in America
Who’s Who in the West

Awards
Gilcrease Museum. Williams Award for Collectors’ Reserve, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 2010
C.M. Russell Museum, Staff Choice Award, Helena, MT, 2009
Eiteljorg Museum, Quest for the West, Best of Show, Indianapolis, IN, 2007
Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Buffalo Bill Art Show, Painting Award, Cody, WY, 2006
Buffalo Bill Historical Center, Buffalo Bill Art Show, Choice Award, Cody, WY, 2006
C. M. Russell Show of Original Western Art, Best of Show, Helena, MT
National Arts Club, Pastel Society of America Show, Exceptional Merit Award, 1986
National Academy of Western Art, Gold & Silver Awards, Lougheed Memorial Award, Oklahoma City, OK

Affiliations
Northwest Rendezvous Group
Cowboy Hall of Fame
Oil Painters of America
National Academy of Western Art
Artists of America

Artwork to be Showcased