Zhalet Bahrestan is a Bay Area–born artist currently pursuing a BFA at the Rhode Island School of Design. She is currently studying in Florence as part of RISD’s selective First Year in Florence program.

Working primarily in ceramic and watercolor, Bahrestan explores the intersection of two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms. Her practice centers on women’s stories, examining how visual language in art and media constructs and perpetuates archetypes of the “ideal” woman. Through material contrast and layered imagery, she seeks to reveal the complexity beneath these cultural expectations.

She has received multiple awards, including the Superior Award in Visual Art (2025), the San Domenico High School Art Department Award (2025), and Best in Sculpture from Youth in Arts (2025).