Iranian woman turns scrap metal into stunning artwork

Not everyone is ready for a bold career change at midlife to pursue their passions and dreams, but one Iranian woman did it, and she couldn’t be happier with the results. Maryam Kazemi worked as a financial manager at a Tehran hospital until she was over 40. In 2017, she decided to quit and pursue her childhood dreams of painting and sculpture. When she finally decided to make the switch, she started upcycling scrap metal into stunning portraits and beautiful sculptures. “Creating things and sculpture were among my lifetime passions and I finally started pursuing it,” Kazemi says. “It has been 3 to 4 years since I started my own workshop and I have been doing what I love,” she adds. At her workshop, Kazemi has several assistants and a growing customer base from both Iran and abroad. She uses scrap metal, and car parts such as bolts, nuts and chains. Her quality artwork has garnered her a large number of followers on social media, and her Instagram page has over 83,000 followers. Every week, she loads trucks for the delivery of orders. Kazemi says her love for the art is what gives her the energy to take the long commute to her workshop, some 30km (about 19 miles) southwest of Tehran. During summer, the work becomes more challenging for Kazemi as the metal parts she works with become very hot, and searching through outdoor scrapyards becomes more difficult. However, she says she finds fulfillment and joy in every aspect of her work. “With each piece I create, it feels as though I've gained a new life. When I create something (new), it's like I have been born again. I really love this job,” Kazemi says. This article was provided by The Associated Press.