Ghazaleh Rastgar aka Ghazaraza is an award winning multidisciplinary artist from Shiraz, Iran, now based in Toronto, Canada. Graduating from OCADU with a Bachelor of Design, she initially pursued a corporate career before rekindling her passion for visual arts.
Ghazaleh draws inspiration from nature, the human body, spirituality, and contemplating life as an Iranian woman. She invites viewers to examine the profound depths of love, identity, and community through illustrations, paintings, murals and short animations.
Ghazaleh’s work has achieved international recognition and been exhibited globally. Notably, her animated GIFs were featured on CBC’s Exhibitionists, and she redesigned the CBC Arts logo for October 2021.
Exhibitions
2025 “BLUSH” at Micak Gallery - Aurora
2025 Being Scene 2025 by Workman Arts - Toronto
2024 “Know Where” at Isza Gallery - Toronto
2024 Being Scene 2024 by Workman Arts - Toronto
2023 Art Toronto with “The New Other“ - Toronto
2023 “Femme Vie Liberte” at Paris Museum of Modern Art - Paris
2023 Collective Arts Brew Series 24 Exhibition - Toronto
2022 Being Scene 2022 by Workman Arts – Toronto
2021 The Artist Project – Online Exhibition
2020 Feminist Art Festival at OCADU – Toronto
2018 Venus Rising at Hashtag Gallery – Toronto
2018 You Should Come at Darling Mansion (Sponsored event) – Toronto
2016 Society of Illustrators – New York; Comic and Cartoon Annual - NYC
2015 Spring Equinox Festival at CSI Annex – Toronto
Clients
Luminato Festival
Giphy
TIFF
Lavazzo
StreetARToronto – City of Toronto
Historica Canada
EastEnd Arts
Mount Pleasant BIA
The Junction Bia
Bell Canada
Fast Company
Lenny Letter
Hemisphere Magazine
HotDocs
Resist! Publication Vol. 1 & 2
Publications
2023 Euronews
2021 CBC Arts
2019 CBC Arts
2018 She Does The City
2018 Streeter
2018 Paper Darts
2017 Haaretz
2017 HuffPost
2016 The Cut
Awards & Grants
2024 Ontario Arts Council Grant
2021 American Illustration 40
2018 Toronto Arts Council Grant
2018 American Illustration 37 (Online)
2016 Society of Illustrators