Javad Ashrafi studied architecture and city planning, receiving his master’s from The Ohio State University in 1988. Since graduating he has worked as planner/architect in Columbus. While practicing architecture, he became more interested in the artistic aspects of architecture and began adding materials over his architectural renderings to create three-dimensional images. Since 2010, he has exhibited his artwork in different galleries and art shows throughout central Ohio, including the Columbus Art Festival, Worthington Arts Festival, Upper Arlington Labor Day Arts Festival, Dayton Oktoberfest, First Commonwealth Bank and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources exhibition hall. In most of his artwork, Ashrafi applies a cement base mixture to make a textured background and incorporates hand-shaped copper, wire mesh and different materials to create three-dimensional artwork.