Arash Shirinbab: Arash Shirinbab has managed to be a successful blend of an award winning artist, calligrapher, and designer, as well as art administrator, art curator, and entrepreneur for the past ten years. He engaged in serious study of classical calligraphy in 2008 under masters from the Iranian Calligraphists Association, Hosseini Garakani and Mousavi Jazayeri.
Forrest Lesch-Middelton: He invented a technique for transferring Islamic starbursts, scrolls and flowers to the surfaces of his pots while they are still wet and at the wheel, requiring him to shape the vessels from the inside, so as to not disturb the pattern. In 2013 Ceramics Monthly Magazine chose him as ‘The Ceramic Artist of the Year.’
The Collaboration: For the past 5 years, Arash and Forrest have been collaborating and creating ceramic pieces, vessels, and tiles. Their work is meant to bring people of different communities with diverse ideas, cultures, and languages together through calligraphy, ceramics, and cuisine.
These two artists have called their collaboration "Contain and Serve" and first Diversity Dinner was presented by Hanif in November 2017 at the gallery of ICCNC near Lake Merrit Oakland.