Araik Minasyan, like many artists, first felt the pull of creative expression when he was a child. He took art classes to explore drawing, sculpture, and painting techniques. He then continued his creative education at art school. There, he honed his skills and perfected techniques for Araik Minasyan art.
These days, Minasyan experiments with acrylic painting, sculpture, and watercolor. However, his primary focus is oil painting on canvas with a palette knife. A palette knife, unlike a paintbrush, adds texture by introducing crests and valleys that add literal and metaphorical layers to the story each piece tells. When working with a palette knife, best practice is to work wet paint into wet paint, which means that an artist has little opportunity to break from their piece; once the artist starts painting, they must commit to continued work before each layer of paint dries. The process enacts urgency, and that urgency begets authenticity, a rawness of the artist’s expression that comes from stripping away premeditation.
Minasyan’s work typically falls into one of three categories: abstract, abstract expressionism, or impressionism. His abstract work can be said to evoke a rift or a tear, a jutting of one force—joyful and vibrant or sometimes dark and ominous—into another. His impressionist works frequently depict bouquets or softly lit streetscapes. Although, when a human subject appears on the canvas, the same darkness that can ooze from the crevasses of Minasyan’s abstract pieces often appears with a hauntingly beautiful effect.
Inspired to Create, Creating to Inspire
When Minasyan creates, he finds inspiration in the beauty that surrounds him, including other works of impressionism. His emotions and his imagination also spark his creativity, nudging him to put paint to paper. The satisfaction and joy Minasyan experiences as a result of making then prompts him to make more. This closes a loop of inspiration-creation-satisfaction that motivates him to continue pursuing art as his career, even in the face of adversity.
Minasyan also finds motivation and strength in his relationships with family members. “Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have the support of many people. But my family has been my biggest source of encouragement,” says Minasyan. “They have always believed in me and supported my artistic pursuits, even when times were tough.”
Their support and his persistence launched Minasyan’s career to far corners of the globe. His work has appeared in exhibitions and galleries in Europe, Asia, and across North America. Currently, Araik Minasyan art is based out of Ilar Art Studio in South End. There, he strives to create every single day, both for himself and for others.
“Painting makes me feel deeply connected to the world. And it helps me process and express my emotions in a meaningful way,” says Minasyan. “I hope that my work can inspire in others a sense of wonder, curiosity, and appreciation for the beauty of the world.”
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