FEATURED STORY

By: Christine Soussa

We are honored that acclaimed artist Arev Petrosyan will be a featured guest at our upcoming AIWA-SF event on November 15, 2014 celebrating “Armenian Women Preserving Cultural Heritage”.  Tickets for the event can be purchased at Eventbrite.

Arev Petrosyan is one of the leading Deco Artists. Born in an artistic environment, her Father Benik Petrosyan is a renowned sculptor and her mother, Alice Adamyan is a violin player. Their marriage resulted in the birth of 3 children Vahagn Hayrapetyan, a world-famous jazz musician, Arev Petrosyan an artist and Areg Petrosyan a sculptor.  They truly are family of artists!  Arev started her artistic career at a young age and became famous because of her innovative solutions and unique color schemes when designing TV studios, concert halls and various interiors.  She has also done custom work for notable global brands such as Coca-Cola, Schwarzkopf, iCON Communications and many others.  Her name, Arev, meaning sunshine, is a true reflection of who she is.   Her radiant spirit and love for life is evident in all she does.  A spirited artist, Arev devotes immense love and energy into her pieces.  Even her smile exudes light and love.  Her paintings are bright, luminous, rich in color with a mystical unusual inner warmth which are full of sensuality, sometimes daring and always thought provoking and inspiring.  Arev is recognized globally for her unique paintings that are symbolic and quite moving.  She is a dynamic, full of energy, love and passion for all things.

Arev is known for using a lot of mixed media in her paintings, creating amazing works on plexiglass, using natural gold and silver lief and various other medias to create paintings in a unique style that are massive, shiny, transparent and unimaginably colorful.  Her first personal exhibition was in 2005 titled “My Flowers to the Martyrs” was dedicated in loving memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.  Arev has a special place in the artistic world, she is a respected and sought after artists as several international collectors have invested in her paintings

Arev has graciously participated in many charity exhibitions and promotions that benefit children, elderly and those in need. She has partnered with the Armenian’s Union of Young Women, OSI Organization, Armenian Kids Foundation, COAF and of course AIWA-SF.  We are excited that she will be in attendance from Armenian and are touched that she is generously donating a special original painting for our event.  The painting will be auctioned during the November 15 event and all proceeds will go towards supporting the AIWA-SF initiatives dedicated to promoting and enriching the social, economic and personal advancement of Armenian women worldwide.

As we continue planning for our upcoming event, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Arev:

{AIWA-SF}: You grew up in a family of artists (Arev’s Father is a sculpture and her Mother a musician), tell us a little about your background and how you developed as an artist:

{AREV}:  Family is critical.  The environment and where one is born has a huge impact on one’s world view. In that respect, I was lucky to be born into a family of artists. Where I grew up was equally impactful. Being born in Armenia, I was surrounded by people who are as wonderful as characters from fairy-tales.  When I was a child, I asked my father, to draw a picture for me. He drew a blue tree. It was surprising to me, I asked him why blue?  He answered: “You are free, and you always have choice to look at the world with your preferred colors.” That was my first lesson about freedom.  That message and lesson of perspective and choice continues to be the prism from which I view the world and all its beauty.

{AIWA-SF}:  You are a celebrated famous international artist, where do you get your inspiration from?

{AREV}: Since childhood, I have looked at the world as an artist and for some time I was a passive observer.  Then I realized that I cannot feel complete without creating, so I started to create. Nothing makes me happier than the process of bringing into life my magical imaginary world.  It is real happiness when your life is full of new ideas, with endless roads, new developments, and constant surprises. I get inspired with everything that surrounds me. However, the urge of endless creation comes from within.

{AIWA-SF}:  How does your Armenian culture influence your art?

{AREV}:  My language, culture, topography have such deep roots… this, my art seemingly is the reflection of my genes.  My eyes, in silence, exclaim that I am Armenian… imagine then, how plainly the Armenian soul is reflected in my art.

{AIWA-SF}: We are grateful for the piece you are designing for our AIWA-SF event, can you tell us a bit about it?

{AREV}:  I was very happy when I received an invitation to participate in AIWA-SF’s event as a female guest artist from Yerevan. The organization wanted to present me as an honored guest and display the road I passed and works I have created, but I didn’t want to come empty-handed.  I offered to create a painting especially for this event, which I’ll donate to the organization with great pleasure. We decided to put the picture into an auction and the money generated from the sale of it will be donated to support various AIWA-SF programs. I believe this will be a successful project because I put a lot of love and energy into participation of the project. I don’t feel that I’m a guest in this event, since I’m an Armenian; I’m a female artist; I’m a mother, and finally a member of this large family. I believe that victory comes from unity.

I am anxious to meet the lucky individual who will leave the event not only as a great benefactor, but with an art piece that I have created over many weeks with love and kindness.

 

{AIWA-SF}:  As a role model within the broader Armenian community, what is your message to today Armenian youth?

{AREV}:  An Armenian should recognize that he/she is carrying a substantial responsibility. He/she is the propagator of a great gene pool that is the embodiment of pride and strength. We are nothing without our identity. You must be cognizant, be proud, take responsibility, live with love and happiness, regardless of the road that you have chosen for yourself. I am certain that no matter what I would have chosen in my life, it would have made me happy; since being an expert in this or that field is not an end in and of itself; rather, to be happy and fulfilled with whatever you chose.

 

Arev Petrosyan – Complete Bio: