Shahin Shikhaliyev graduated with a B.A. in Visual Arts from Azerbaijan State Art College, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Shahin's works include oil painting, black and white drawings, and etching. His greatest influence was his father, the late artist Talat Shikhaliyev. Shahin has been exhibiting his work since 1989 and participating in numerous group and solo shows throughout Europe, Middle East and United States.

For the past 3 years Shahin has collaborated on several large-scale public art projects with mosaic artist Valerie Theberge. He has also directed video and multimedia projects, including TV shows and documentaries as well as designed and illustrated several books and publications for clients such as UNICEF, Office of the President of the Azerbaijan Republic and BP.

Shahin has been teaching art in the Washington DC metropolitan area since 2000 at the Smithsonian Associates, H Street Studio and Spectrum Art Studio.