Born and raised in the ultra-conservative confines of Persia, Goli Mahallati left as soon as she was old enough to attend the University of Tehran - the beginning of her quest to express herself through higher education and an inborn artistic passion. A true student of life, Mahallati continued her education by earning her masters from Massachusetts' American International College in 1977, and pursuing a doctorate at the University of Massachusetts.

Developing her unique style of painting with a palette knife as opposed to a brush, Mahallati creates post-modern images that are at once abstract and rooted in realism. Her expressive human figures convey powerful emotions of love, longing, tragedy and joy through bold colors and textures. Making a splash with her debut at the world-famous New York Artexpo, Mahallati continues to be featured in exhibits and galleries across the country, and her work is collected by fans from all over. She currently resides in Southern California.