Meet Sharlene Lurie | California Photography Artist

I love being a South Bay photographer, My Mulberry Eye. My Mulberry Eye is an ode to my Persian roots and the special memories of the tradition of eating mulberries with black tea in my childhood. The sweetness of the mulberries is akin to the sweetness I feel for life.

I am blessed to be a first generation Persian-American that grew up in beautiful Southern California. Shoutout to Palos Verdes!!! It’s a small coastal town that is super safe and let me wander and explore freely outside. From my time in these surroundings, I found a deep connection and passion for nature, which enriches my artistry today.

My spark for art all started with my toy camera that I carried everywhere in my small purse. As a young girl, instead of dolls and puzzles, I found myself glued to my toy camera, capturing special moments in my mind. My toy camera became a polaroid camera and then a point and shoot film camera, etc. I always found myself focusing on scenic shots of nature and street photography, building up my experience framing and realizing my eye for angles and composition.

My parents, who came to this country with nothing and earned everything they had, engrained in me a strong work ethic leading me to work throughout high school and college while maintaining good grades and finding any free time I could to explore the arts. During those times, I curated my passion for drawing, watercolor painting, piano and other artistic pursuits but always came back to my true love, photography.

I have always been driven from the example my parents set, which encouraged me to start my own small business aligned to my passion for exploring my surroundings through my art. I am grateful to leverage my degree in Business Administration along with my Fine Arts program from Otis College of Art and Design to help make my dream a reality!!!

My work focuses on our beautiful SoCal beaches and deserts with a vintage vibe. My fine art portfolio explores everything from landscape to architecture to street photography with a minimalist approach. Learning to be present in the moment and trusting my eye sets my art apart. Feeling fully connected to where I live inspires the shots I take whether it’s black & white tones or rich colorful textures. I love that the moment in time will never happen again, making it more magical. I appreciate every photo, recalling where I took it, how I felt and what was going on around me. Pursuing my passion has enabled me to meet amazing people through local shops and pop-ups that I never would have encountered. When I work pop-ups, art festivals and trunk shows, I form a special bond with those I meet as they share the memories and feelings my prints bring them. It fills me up to feel their passion for our community that comes through my art. This fuels me even more to keep creating.

I love that I am in the middle of my journey. My business will always be a living, breathing part of me. I’ll always be adapting to new realities with as much compassion and grace as I can. I don’t have all the answers but the nature of life is change and I’m excited and open to it all. As I trust myself more and more, it strengthens my creativity and growth. I am fully a work in process but because I am constantly evolving as a person, my art evolves with me.

If my bestie is visiting, we would explore my beach communities including Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach. I love to shop and eat local and support small businesses. So definitely, our week would include hitting up all of my favorite small local businesses.

Manhattan Beach:
Walk The Strand and pier to check out the surfers, waves and beautiful beach homes. Top it off with a visit to Shade Hotel to relax by the sundeck pool. If it’s Tuesday, we’d have lunch and shop all the organic produce from the local farmers market.

Redondo Beach:
Shop at my favorite beautiful shops including Oui Beach and Card de A with the best selection in the Riviera Village. We’d walk along the Esplanade, take in the ocean views with the best coffee from Hi-Fi Espresso!!

Hermosa Beach:
First stop, we would have brunch at the Gum Tree Café and enjoy the best curated shopping at Gum Tree!! We would go to Java Man for their yummy coffee and chill. Later, head to the Lighthouse Café for the lively music and dancing.

If we explore LA for a day, we’d hit up Hollywood Bowl for a concert, the Getty Villa for the antiques and views and LACMA for the latest art exhibits.

My mom is my hero and I dedicate this Shoutout to her. She has always believed in and encouraged me. While my work ethic and good grades were important, it was her appreciation for art and my desire to explore it that bonded us. She would always encourage me to explore new mediums and express myself artistically. Because of her, I had the opportunity to express myself through piano, ukulele, dance, painting, photography and expand my cultural appreciation through plays, concerts and museums. When I would get fully consumed by my art projects, she was always there to support me and push me to take it a step further. Her love of art fed into mine and gave me the confidence to pursue my career and I’m forever grateful.