Joon Tajadod’s work doesn’t sit still, and neither does the story she’s telling. What begins in florals quickly unfolds into layered compositions that echo Persian rugs, ritual, and memory, each piece an exploration of identity that feels both intimate and expansive. Through painting and immersive Sofreh installations, she’s not just creating art, she’s creating space: for heritage, reclamation, and connection.
Now calling Denver home, Joon moves between grounding and discovery, gathering inspiration from new landscapes and returning to the studio to translate it all into something thoughtful. Her work encourages us to consider how identity is shaped, through movement, through ritual, and through the courage to claim our full selves.
Your work explores identity, heritage, and belonging in such a layered way, how has your relationship to your Iranian roots evolved through your art?
My exploration of identity and heritage has naturally evolved through my work. What began as florals gradually transformed into compositions reminiscent of Persian rugs, each framed with a border. Beyond the canvas, I’ve also begun incorporating a Sofreh or a ceremonial alter, as an extension of the work. These installations create a space to share the beauty, rituals, and layered symbolism of Persian traditions in a more immersive and communal way.
You’ve described painting as an emotional, physical, and spiritual practice, what does that look like for you in real life, in the studio?
My process is deeply rooted in a mind-body connection. In the studio, it often begins physically; stretching, warming up my arms, and preparing my palette while listening to a curated playlist to set the tone. From there, it becomes a dance. I get lost in the rhythm of the music as I paint, moving intuitively, then stepping away to let the work breathe while I prepare for the next gesture.
That’s where it shifts into something more spiritual. The timing, the direction, even the breakthroughs don’t feel entirely up to me. The visions and epiphanies arrive on their own terms, and I’ve learned to trust that. It’s a practice of surrender as much as it is of control, allowing something larger than me to move through the work.
You’ve lived in multiple places and now call Denver home, how does this sense of movement and grounding show up in your work today?
Creating grounds me, wherever I am. Now that I’ve found a sense of home in Denver, I’m drawn to seek out new environments for inspiration. When I’m away, I collect imagery and sketch, capturing moments, textures, and ideas as they come. Then I return to my home studio to unpack those discoveries in space where I feel safe and free to explore.
Your floral portraits feel deeply symbolic and feminine, what draws you to flowers as a storytelling tool?
In my opinion, flowers are innately feminine. They’ve become a safe, diverse and intuitive vehicle for exploring my emotions, allowing me to build layered metaphors within the work.
You made the powerful decision to step fully into the name “Joon”, how did that shift impact both your identity and your creative voice?
Claiming Joon and even more importantly, returning to my last name, Tajadod, has made me feel whole. It’s been a reclamation of myself, a way of stepping fully into my identity without compromise.
I started my career as Ashley Joon, feeling I need to hide my heritage to be accepted. I didn’t realize the wounds I was deepening; however it’s what lead me to Joon. Choosing this name is me mending wounds, taking control of my narrative, my legacy, and how I move through the world. That shift has deepened my creative voice, allowing it to come from a place that is more honest, more rooted, and unapologetically mine.
Many of your pieces honor women’s strength and lived experience, who are the women (past or present) that most shape your perspective?
Women who choose themselves, especially those who step outside of expectation, have always shaped my perspective. Georgia O’Keeffe is someone I return to often. Her decision to leave New York and find herself in the vastness of the West deeply resonates with me.
When you’re not creating, where do you go to reconnect or find inspiration, especially here in Colorado?
Mountain adventures and hiking amongst wildflowers feeds my soul. Joon, thank you for sharing your story of self acceptance and how that has shaped your evolution as an artist,To learn more about full body of work and where to find it, visit joontheartist.com.