Isabella Akhtarshenas is a versatile artist and designer whose work strategically uses color and shape to evoke whimsical forms. She experiments in various mediums including illustration, ceramics, murals, screen printing, animation and more. Childlike joy and wonder remain at the forefront of her creative practice. This is a consistent intention to inspire adults to be silly and embrace vulnerability. Isabella lives in South Philly while refining her craft by developing client work and personal projects. 

Background

Originally from Northern New Jersey, Isabella has always been passionate about art and design. From a very young age, she experimented with different mediums and methods of art making. She has always been intrigued by pleasant color interactions and balanced compositions. Her parents heavily encouraged her creativity, considering her mother is a skilled craftsperson and her father is an architectural hardware designer.

Education

Drexel University: Westphal College of Media Arts and Design (2019) Cum Laude Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design & Fine Art

Besides graphic design, Isabella learned printmaking, woodworking, welding, and even gardening techniques at Drexel. She was involved in a work-exchange program at the printshop, and took on a role as the art director for The Smart Set. The Pennoni Honors College hired her after graduation to be the lead designer for their bi-annual magazine: Honor Bound.

In 2019, Isabella graduated and presented her senior thesis: The Plantable Calendar. Rather than immediately looking for full-time employment, Isabella was doing small-scale freelance work and applying for new opportunities, all while experimenting with passion projects and building Akhtarshenas Studios.

Ceramics

Isabella started dabbling in ceramics in 2018 at The Clay Studio, where she took classes on hand-building, wheel-throwing and mold-making. She then began a weekly work exchange program at Blackhound Clay Studio until 2021.

Now, she continues to experiment with clay at her in-home studio, and gets her work fired in the kilns at The Pottery Gym. Isabella hosts a monthly “Smoke-n-Sculpt” event at The Pottery Gym with studio owner, Ben Pee.

Animation

Isabella’s animation journey began during her time as a production designer for Health Union, developing looping gifs for editorial article covers. She used these skills in looping animation to add an Augmented Reality element to her temporary mural, Vote? Vote!

She tried her hand at claymation for the first time in 2025, making Eric Scott’s music video for Picking Flowers. This tedious project earned her an award at the Los Angeles Animation Festival. She immediately continued to create another short film, Prey for Sex, digitally animated entirely on Procreate and scored by Eric Scott. Prey for Sex was selected for Hump! Film Festival’s Spring 2026 tour, screening in 50+ cities worldwide.

Murals

Since moving to the city of murals in 2015, Isabella had the goal of mural-making in mind. Post graduation, she pursued this dream by applying to every open call she could find. After receiving an abundance of rejections, she finally got the call with an offer to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal series, sponsored by Global Philadelphia. This was her first mural, at Samuel Gompers School. This exciting project became a catalyst for more similar opportunities.

Philly Starts Here, 2025
Vector illustration on printed vinyl, applied to interior wall, 130’ x 8.5’
PHL Airport, International Arrivals, Philadelphia, PA

Best Philly,  2025
Hand-painted on parachute cloth, 16’ x 12’
Schuylkill Yards, Philadelphia, PA

Vote? Vote!,  2024
Hand-painted on wood panels, 8’ x 10’
Love Park, Philadelphia, PA

Queer Family Love,  2024
Hand-painted on wood fence, 36’ x 6’
Private Location, Philadelphia, PA

Shades of Enchantment, 2024
Hand-painted parachute cloth on brick exterior, 62’ x 35’
Edmonds Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA

Manayunk Memories,  2024
Hand-painted on brick exterior, 18’ x 30’
Manayunk Towpath, Philadelphia, PA

Philly’s Favorite Things, 2022
Vector illustration on printed vinyl, applied to interior wall, 22’ x 8.5’
PHL Airport, Terminal F, Philadelphia, PA

Education for All, 2021
Hand-painted on aluminum panels, applied to brick exterior, 10’ x 10’
Gompers Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA

Solo Exhibitions

Clay’s Anatomy: Vessels of Self-Expression
April 2024 — Casa Vida, Philadelphia, PA

Revisiting the Inner Child
November 2021 — Commonweal Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Exploring the Paintings of Isabella Akhtarshenas
May-July 2018 — Ross Commons Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Group Exhibitions

Let Me Know When You Get Home
April 2026 — Hall Pass, Philadelphia, PA

The Piggy Bank Show
April 2025 — Yowie, Philadelphia, PA

Compendium: Self
October 2024-January 2025 — Banana Factory, Bethlehem, PA

Tiny Chair Show
December 2024 — Stickball, Philadelphia, PA

12 x 12 Art Show
November-December 2024 — Laundrette Records, Philadelphia, PA

TEAMWERK: Crafted Earth Collection
May 2024 — Commonweal Gallery, Philadelphia, PA

Taller Than A Trash Can
March 2024 — The Fairmount House, Philadelphia, PA

Under $100, Under $1000
November 2023-January 2024 — Philly Magic Gardens, Philadelphia, PA

Printed Copy
June 2022 — DaVinci Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA

Lost + Found
December 2021 — Dye House, Providence, RI

Summerhouse
June-August 2021 — HOT•BED, Philadelphia, PA

Our Community
January-March 2020 — The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA

Achievements

Illuminate the Arts Grant
City of Philadelphia, 2026
Akhtarshenas Studios

Best First-Time Stop-Motion Filmmaker
Los Angeles Animation Film Festival, 2025
Picking Flowers

Third Place in Juried Exhibition
Compendium: SELF, 2024
Trophy Ex Wife

Best Print Design
DesignRush, 2024
Honor Bound Magazine

Best Magazine Design
Pepperpot Award, 2021 & 2022
Honor Bound Magazine

Capstone Project Grant
Swift Fund Awardee, 2019
The Plantable Calendar

Process

Isabella is thankful to live in the digital age and have the privilege of creative software at her fingertips, but finds a great deal of peace through making things physically. Although stop-motion and screen printing may seem like antiquated processes, Isabella enjoys the detailed control involved from start to finish, as well as the character evident in handmade pieces. Isabella’s Moleskine notebook is essentially her sidekick, and she is always ready to jot down ideas, make lists and translate her thoughts into doodles. Her process typically starts out with a pen and paper, and can go anywhere from there, depending on the project.

Isabella is currently taking on freelance projects and commissions while always refining her craft and working on personal projects.

Press

Interview as visiting artist with Moon + Arrow (2021)

Gompers mural write-up on Generocity.org (2021)

Interview on Feminist Flea Market for Philly Gay News (2021)

PHL International Airport mural write-up on PHL.org (2022)

Art Education in Philly Schools for Mural Arts (2024)

Murals of Manayunk on Manayunk.com (2024)

6ABC Action News video interview (2024)

“To the Polls” article by StreetsDept. (2024)

“To the Polls” article on Billy Penn (2024)

“To the Polls” article on WHYY (2024)

“To the Polls” article on Broad Street Review (2024)

Video interview for Fox 29’s Good Day Uncut (2024)