The Cel Del Nord Ounjian Aroyan What does it mean to be Armenian? Anahit, Goddess of the Armenians The Armenians BC "Armenoid Race!?!" Arousiak of the Armenians Residency
The Cel Del Nord Ounjian Aroyan Armenian Anahit Persian? Arousiak Residency
2021-04-30
This is day 6, 2021-04-30, the last day of this residency.
This is day 6, 2021-04-30, the last day of this residency.
10:45
Monoliths. This is somewhat of a companion piece to Melanie and Ines Have a Conversation (about art and they’re both right). At least, it’s a response to my thinking about that piece. I was also thinking about some Lawren Harris’ paintings at the AGO, with their explicit yellow beams of light. But the actual reference for this piece is a truly disgustingly generic photograph of some buildings, looming large, such that anyone in a big city business district could simply point their phone upward and shoot. I have always liked that quality (and almost no other) about skyscrapers. Ines used the word Monolith and it stuck. I think they are so organic because I was fighting the skyscraper out of them. Now they are things of nature and fantasy. I like this idea a lot, and I hope I can return to it. Would be a wonderful series. I do seem to be generating ideas, rather than telling a focused story about Anahit though, don’t I?
10:45
Monoliths. This is somewhat of a companion piece to Melanie and Ines Have a Conversation (about art and they’re both right). At least, it’s a response to my thinking about that piece. I was also thinking about some Lawren Harris’ paintings at the AGO, with their explicit yellow beams of light. But the actual reference for this piece is a truly disgustingly generic photograph of some buildings, looming large, such that anyone in a big city business district could simply point their phone upward and shoot. I have always liked that quality (and almost no other) about skyscrapers. Ines used the word Monolith and it stuck. I think they are so organic because I was fighting the skyscraper out of them. Now they are things of nature and fantasy. I like this idea a lot, and I hope I can return to it. Would be a wonderful series. I do seem to be generating ideas, rather than telling a focused story about Anahit though, don’t I?
10:39
Bree and Hwin, I think, In The Valley. I must have used every Oblique I had for this. The first was Frame It. There was a Push Past the Pretty (Go to Far) which produced a red tree and a horse in the shade, which I love. I like the way this feels like scene and, the more I think about it, the more I like the way that the light comes from a gap in the clouds that we don’t see. This idea of of drawing a shadow but not the thing seems to add to the realism of works.
10:39
Bree and Hwin, I think, In The Valley. I must have used every Oblique I had for this. The first was Frame It. There was a Push Past the Pretty (Go to Far) which produced a red tree and a horse in the shade, which I love. I like the way this feels like scene and, the more I think about it, the more I like the way that the light comes from a gap in the clouds that we don’t see. This idea of of drawing a shadow but not the thing seems to add to the realism of works.
7:06
This piece is called Melanie and Ines Have a Conversation (about art and they’re both right). This is a misnomer because this piece steals liberally from all of the Residency artists. The openness to a fairy world comes from Flora, as does the inclusion of soft colours. The creature and the trail of blobs are Ines. The blue of the ocean and the shadows comes from Melanie’s photograph. but I also stole her stitches and her airplane. From Meghana, I borrowed the roses, and the idea that something might occupy a space because the space needs a feeling or energy. Anyway, I love this piece. Of course the red paint blobs wouldn’t scan so I had to photograph it.
7:06
This piece is called Melanie and Ines Have a Conversation (about art and they’re both right). This is a misnomer because this piece steals liberally from all of the Residency artists. The openness to a fairy world comes from Flora, as does the inclusion of soft colours. The creature and the trail of blobs are Ines. The blue of the ocean and the shadows comes from Melanie’s photograph. but I also stole her stitches and her airplane. From Meghana, I borrowed the roses, and the idea that something might occupy a space because the space needs a feeling or energy. Anyway, I love this piece. Of course the red paint blobs wouldn’t scan so I had to photograph it.
6:48 – Graveyard Then & Graveyard Now.
Here I was not trying to be clever. The graveyard photo came from Ines. I told myself that I had to disrupt the picture by drawing is sideways. But all that did was emphasize the graves. I kept turning and turning it and as a result, the balance moves with the piece. So I stopped trying to deny the graves and made them the focus of the upside down piece. The smokestacks make sense of the grave shadows when flipped. The mountains flip to sky. And that puffy yellow tree translates nature to both scenes. Anyway, I don’t think this is at all pretty but I like it quite a good deal. I got back and forth on the hard lines of dark blue smoke. They do become symbolic grave mounds but they’ve very harsh. I wonder if I will return to this piece. The idea is already on the page. Refinement would make it accessible.
6:48 – Graveyard Then & Graveyard Now.
Here I was not trying to be clever. The graveyard photo came from Ines. I told myself that I had to disrupt the picture by drawing is sideways. But all that did was emphasize the graves. I kept turning and turning it and as a result, the balance moves with the piece. So I stopped trying to deny the graves and made them the focus of the upside down piece. The smokestacks make sense of the grave shadows when flipped. The mountains flip to sky. And that puffy yellow tree translates nature to both scenes. Anyway, I don’t think this is at all pretty but I like it quite a good deal. I got back and forth on the hard lines of dark blue smoke. They do become symbolic grave mounds but they’ve very harsh. I wonder if I will return to this piece. The idea is already on the page. Refinement would make it accessible.
6:34
I like yesterday’s sketches. This one is “Flora’s Narnia” (at a Glance). I was walking down a familiar street yesterday and thinking about how we’re all in different places and this local snapshot might be more interesting to the other group members. I asked for some back. Don’t worry! I am was upfront about wanting to use them for art. This was one of Flora’s. Her scene was different but the shadow of the castle? Wow. I want to live in Wales. Anyway, I quite like how this turned out. I am especially hapy with the distant farmer’s fields.
6:34
I like yesterday’s sketches. This one is “Flora’s Narnia” (at a Glance). I was walking down a familiar street yesterday and thinking about how we’re all in different places and this local snapshot might be more interesting to the other group members. I asked for some back. Don’t worry! I am was upfront about wanting to use them for art. This was one of Flora’s. Her scene was different but the shadow of the castle? Wow. I want to live in Wales. Anyway, I quite like how this turned out. I am especially hapy with the distant farmer’s fields.
2021-04-29
This is day 5, 2021-04-29 This residency will end on 2021-04-30.
This is day 5, 2021-04-29 This residency will end on 2021-04-30.
8:56
Yesterday’s presentation was really strong. In a way it was depressing, as it is always depressing (and exciting) to see so much talent & maturity in someone so much younger than yourself. Today I put together my own presentation. It was not difficult to do, as I catalogue everything on the website anyway. I realize that I cannot show a few strong pieces, as everyone else has done, because my work is often times more minor – quicker and smaller. Still, I think it is worth showing.
8:56
Yesterday’s presentation was really strong. In a way it was depressing, as it is always depressing (and exciting) to see so much talent & maturity in someone so much younger than yourself. Today I put together my own presentation. It was not difficult to do, as I catalogue everything on the website anyway. I realize that I cannot show a few strong pieces, as everyone else has done, because my work is often times more minor – quicker and smaller. Still, I think it is worth showing.
2021-04-28
This is day 4, 2021-04-28. This residency will end on 2021-04-30.
This is day 4, 2021-04-28. This residency will end on 2021-04-30.
3:03 pm
Did some art. These are rule-based thumbnails, basically.
I wrote these rules on the drawing surface and I did obey them throughout:
1. Each piece must have a title.
2. Each piece must be a backdrop.
3. Obliques are AVAILABLE, not mandatory.
4. FOREGROUND + BACKGROUND = MINIMUM.
I think these might be something to develop into layered resin. Get a real liquid blue sky in the background… hmmm….
3:03 pm
Did some art. These are rule-based thumbnails, basically.
I wrote these rules on the drawing surface and I did obey them throughout:
1. Each piece must have a title.
2. Each piece must be a backdrop.
3. Obliques are AVAILABLE, not mandatory.
4. FOREGROUND + BACKGROUND = MINIMUM.
10:00
Worked out a rough plan. :
A. Write out story
B. Create a detailed shot list
C. Make all items
D. High Res copy of scenes and characters.
Process:
1. Paint large scenes (thumbnails are blah. Need to work those out this afternoon).
2. Paint cut-out objects (Statue, dinner set items, chairs, table.)
3. Draw characters (human, inhuman)
4. Photograph scenes. Draw shadows and details into the piece as the characters move through the story. Leave footprints. Light fires.
What I like about this plan is that it allows me to get distracted and follow my interests. I can work piecemeal on the project, as long as I am faithful to the original story.
10:00
Worked out a rough plan. :
A. Write out story
B. Create a detailed shot list
C. Make all items
D. High Res copy of scenes and characters.
Process:
1. Paint large scenes (thumbnails are blah. Need to work those out this afternoon).
2. Paint cut-out objects (Statue, dinner set items, chairs, table.)
3. Draw characters (human, inhuman)
4. Photograph scenes. Draw shadows and details into the piece as the characters move through the story. Leave footprints. Light fires.
What I like about this plan is that it allows me to get distracted and follow my interests. I can work piecemeal on the project, as long as I am faithful to the original story.
8:49
Formatted another zine page. I’m glad I set myself up with these … well, they’re frames, really. A frame, the material, and a rough plan. Ends up with a cohesive result. The repetition is useful too. I wonder. Maybe I should think about a book format for my Anahit story. Or a frame. It would be good to channel some of that Sergio Aragones/Daniel Clowes page-filling by drawing in the margins too. It makes a work so satisfying when there are tiny stories hidden in the designs!
8:49
Formatted another zine page. I’m glad I set myself up with these … well, they’re frames, really. A frame, the material, and a rough plan. Ends up with a cohesive result. The repetition is useful too. I wonder. Maybe I should think about a book format for my Anahit story. Or a frame. It would be good to channel some of that Sergio Aragones/Daniel Clowes page-filling by drawing in the margins too. It makes a work so satisfying when there are tiny stories hidden in the designs!
6:28
This piece is called “What it’s like to be 2E”. I want the viewer to experience the ADHD sensation of not having control of their focus. This is what it feels like to have one’s attention dictated by distractions, these totally offshoot details. You’re supposed to focus on the words but that’s only an option some of the time. And sometimes you want to see the words but you have to wait out the distractions. This would be an interesting series to develop, I think. I imagine another piece very much like this one but it’s called “The Teacher Calls on You to Solve the Math Problem” or “Answer the Question, Nicole” and the sequence contains the whole question but never in one image. Oooohhh. That would be so engaging! You know what would have worked for this piece? “Pay attention when I’m talking to you.” And then an angry face surrounded by darkness. And one that jumps around a face until the expression changes in the lips and brows and when it finally hits the eyes, they’re disgusted. That one would be called “Look at me.” Oh. Hm.
This page started its life as the paper under a smaller painting. The colours aren’t accidental – they were chosen for the other work. But the actual mark making is unplanned. I photographed the image, saturated it, and brought up the brightness and contrast quite a bit.
2021-04-27
This is day 3, 2021-04-27. This residency will end on 2021-04-30.
This is day 3, 2021-04-27. This residency will end on 2021-04-30.
7:39 pm
I’m finally getting around to uploading my imaginative picture of Lake Anahit, (in the valley of the mountain). I took four pictures with various cropping. I like how they give a sense of movement in the slideshow. The jump to the footprints is the best bit. Would be neat if the bird was a cut-out so I could move it from one side of the page to the other to show progressing time. Hmm…
7:47 pm
Uploaded 4 images to the website (but only one to the cell version.) I like the way the automated slideshow makes a movie out of the pieces. I’m thinking of exploring this idea further.
6:33pm
Ed had a nap. I followed up on Flora’s reference to Oblique Strategies by making a set for this work. Some of them are specific to this project (Add Anahit/Make it Armenian) and some of them are specific to me (Draw Horse is Ed’s favourite command). I cut up some shrink film and baked them so there would be a little bit of process and permanence to them. My favourite is “repeat into rhythym”, which I clearly made before MY nap. I think I’ll remake it with proper spelling.
6:33pm
Ed had a nap. I followed up on Flora’s reference to Oblique Strategies by making a set for this work. Some of them are specific to this project (Add Anahit/Make it Armenian) and some of them are specific to me (Draw Horse is Ed’s favourite command). I cut up some shrink film and baked them so there would be a little bit of process and permanence to them. My favourite is “repeat into rhythym”, which I clearly made before MY nap. I think I’ll remake it with proper spelling.
3:02 pm
Ed spit up twice this morning, around 7. He stayed with me today. I could not be more exhausted. Also, I could not draw or paint today, except to draw him his usual farm animals, on demand. But, the residency is short. I build the Lost Temple of Anahit out of Duplo. Then I cast Edward as Marc Anthony (pictured here with horse).
3:02 pm
Ed spit up twice this morning, around 7. He stayed with me today. I could not be more exhausted. Also, I could not draw or paint today, except to draw him his usual farm animals, on demand. But, the residency is short. I build the Lost Temple of Anahit out of Duplo.
5:58
This is story was submitted to me (ie, I didn’t write it). I am posting it here because I completed the formatting and posted it in the Whisper Zine. I have been using pyrochild’s Grid Warp add-on for Paint.NET. I have multiple photographs of the same book open at different stages. I have whited out the pages digitally (the effect is very obvious) and added in text and images, warping them to the curve of the book. The resulting image is not realistic. It’s consciously “fake”.
5:58
This is story was submitted to me (ie, I didn’t write it). I am posting it here because I completed a text page in the Whisper Zine. I have been using pyrochild’s Grid Warp add-on for Paint.NET. I have multiple photographs of the same book open at different stages. I have whited out the pages digitally (the effect is very obvious) and added in text and images, warping them to the curve of the book. The resulting image is not realistic. It’s consciously “fake”.
5:13
No drawings yet. We had check in at 4. After, Odette shared an article from Smithsonian Magazine: A Tired Brain Could Actually Be More Creative. This was a clever catalyst because it got me to put into words my reflections about operating in this 3.5 hours of sleep a night state. I commented:
The article seems to hold that insights come to those who are sleepy. I wonder why though. I don’t think we are sharper, though the science could probably sort that out with a few brain scans. I feel duller though. I am guessing that we are more open to our thoughts. Like, we have random thoughts all the time but our waking brain has the wherewithal to shut down those ideas quickly, maybe even before they hit the conscious mind. I find that my mood is pleasant. I don’t really have the ability to argue so I don’t attempt it. I just follow along with whatever pops into my head.
I started thinking about how I cope after the art is done for the day. I shared this:
Yes! Yesterday, I made progress in the problem of my son jumping on the arm of a sofa. I had him repeat the action of sitting correctly 10 times by running though a mini-course (he had to walk and touch a stick, sit down bum first, “cross something”, and then touch the stick again to count as “one”. It was fun and it seems like a good method for getting him out of a bad habit. We have had this problem for years now! I would not have thought up this solution if I wasn’t, essentially, stoned.
5:13
No drawings yet. We had check in at 4. After, Odette shared an article from Smithsonian Magazine: A Tired Brain Could Actually Be More Creative. This was a clever catalyst because it got me to put into words my reflections about operating in this 3.5 hours of sleep a night state. I commented:
The article seems to hold that insights come to those who are sleepy. I wonder why though. I don’t think we are sharper, though the science could probably sort that out with a few brain scans. I feel duller though. I am guessing that we are more open to our thoughts. Like, we have random thoughts all the time but our waking brain has the wherewithal to shut down those ideas quickly, maybe even before they hit the conscious mind. I find that my mood is pleasant. I don’t really have the ability to argue so I don’t attempt it. I just follow along with whatever pops into my head.
I started thinking about how I cope after the art is done for the day. I shared this:
Yes! Yesterday, I made progress in the problem of my son jumping on the arm of a sofa. I had him repeat the action of sitting correctly 10 times by running though a mini-course (he had to walk and touch a stick, sit down bum first, “cross something”, and then touch the stick again to count as “one”. It was fun and it seems like a good method for getting him out of a bad habit. We have had this problem for years now! I would not have thought up this solution if I wasn’t, essentially, stoned.
2021-04-26
This is day 2, 2021-04-26. This residency will end on 2021-04-30.
Today’s reflections are written as timestamped entrees under the image reel.
This is day 2, 2021-04-26. This residency will end on 2021-04-30.
Today’s reflections are written as timestamped entrees under the images.
2:28
Did a big watercolor with no reference. Ended up really liking it. Went for symbols instead of avoiding them. Don’t care if it’s amateurish, I think it gains something for being off the rails.
2:28
Did a big watercolor with no reference. Ended up really liking it. Went for symbols instead of avoiding them. Don’t care if it’s amateurish, I think it gains something for being off the rails.
12:21
Have just finished listening to Flora’s presentation. It was so beautiful. She allows pictures to form and take meaning. Her work feels like part of the Great Conversation. I’m feeling so inspired to try something more instinctual. Maybe I should break out the oil pastels. Do I have any? I’m absolutely zonked too (3:45am wake up) so, honestly, I think now is the time to do it. I feel like I got the good ideas down already and now’s the time to follow my bad ideas. Should be a couple more hours before the kids show up.
12:21
Have just finished listening to Flora’s presentation. It was so beautiful. She allows pictures to form and take meaning. Her work feels like part of the Great Conversation. I’m feeling so inspired to try something more instinctual. Maybe I should break out the oil pastels. Do I have any? I’m absolutely zonked too (3:45am wake up) so, honestly, I think now is the time to do it. I feel like I got the good ideas down already and now’s the time to follow my bad ideas. Should be a couple more hours before the kids show up.
10:16
Have drawn watercolour of Anahit on simple pedestal
10:16
Have drawn watercolour of Anahit on simple pedestal
7:52
Looking for Anahit in Plutarch. Found an article that makes the claim that King Tiridates, who at one point was especially devoted to the goddess, was responsible for her erasure:
“After the conversion of Tiridates, the images of Anahit throughout Armenia were smashed.”
https://iranicaonline.org/articles/anahid
Good news: He is depicted on coins. Image is simple. I should be able to adopt the style to depict the Armenian pantheon, actually. Might do.
Ἥλιος Τιριδάτης [ὁ μέγας
μεγάλης Ἀρμενίας
Helios Tiridates the Great of
Greater Armenia
7:52
Looking for Anahit in Plutarch. Found an article that makes the claim that King Tiridates, who at one point was especially devoted to the goddess, was responsible for her erasure:
“After the conversion of Tiridates, the images of Anahit throughout Armenia were smashed.”
https://iranicaonline.org/articles/anahid
Good news: He is depicted on coins. Image is simple. I should be able to adopt the style to depict the Armenian pantheon, actually. Might do.
Ἥλιος Τιριδάτης [ὁ μέγας
μεγάλης Ἀρμενίας
Helios Tiridates the Great of
Greater Armenia
7:19
Have produced a sketch of Anahit in composite. It’s okay. More interested in playing with watercolours and creating a full body in silhouette with the face and the Roman dinner set filling in the spaces. I don’t know if I want the set to be realistic. Maybe they should fade into a pattern. I am leaning toward the idea of including RE (Roman Empire) on the cups. Will have to sketch them out. They will have to be gold.
7:19
Have produced a sketch of Anahit in composite. It’s okay. More interested in playing with watercolours and creating a full body in silhouette with the face and the Roman dinner set filling in the spaces. I don’t know if I want the set to be realistic. Maybe they should fade into a pattern. I am leaning toward the idea of including RE (Roman Empire) on the cups. Will have to sketch them out. They will have to be gold.
5:17 am
We began our day with reflections. After that, we had a brief talk on Flora’s newletter and her work from yesterday. I found it very inspiring. Her work is haunting. There’s real depth to her pieces without an over reliance on detail (which is the trap I fall into constantly). She has a real mastery of depth in composition which is not something I really think about or include in my work at all. I’m inspired because I find the effect of this effort so successful in her pieces. Her work takes on a more mythical, fairy tale like feel because she is able to represent the emerging figure, the shadowed silhouette, and focus her details on the vegetation in the foreground. She makes the choice to focus the audiences’ eye in more considered way.
The morning conversation got me thinking about Blake and Goya as inspirations. I do find Blake muddy but his ability to tell stories is really beautiful. So I think I may use Songs of Innocence and Experience as a bit of a template, or at least a starting point. I want writing and illustration to meet in the two stories that I’m looking to tell. And this way, I can work on separate pieces and tie them together with style and formatting. I want to balance the two subjects. Hopefully my day’s notes reflect that work.
Because so much about Anahit and Arousiak is shrouded in mystery, I do think I should make an attempt to explore that idea visually. I should depict what I can’t see. In Anahit’s case, there’s a head with no body. I mean… the story of Marc Anthony’s general’s dinner set. Hmm. Oh dear. Yes. That’s a story that could be told in a surreal illustration. Alright. Hmmm.
5:17 am
We began our day with reflections. After that, we had a brief talk on Flora’s newletter and her work from yesterday. I found it very inspiring. Her work is haunting. There’s real depth to her pieces without an over reliance on detail (which is the trap I fall into constantly). She has a real mastery of depth in composition which is not something I really think about or include in my work at all. I’m inspired because I find the effect of this effort so successful in her pieces. Her work takes on a more mythical, fairy tale like feel because she is able to represent the emerging figure, the shadowed silhouette, and focus her details on the vegetation in the foreground. She makes the choice to focus the audiences’ eye in more considered way.
The morning conversation got me thinking about Blake and Goya as inspirations. I do find Blake muddy but his ability to tell stories is really beautiful. So I think I may use Songs of Innocence and Experience as a bit of a template, or at least a starting point. I want writing and illustration to meet in the two stories that I’m looking to tell. And this way, I can work on separate pieces and tie them together with style and formatting. I want to balance the two subjects. Hopefully my day’s notes reflect that work.
Because so much about Anahit and Arousiak is shrouded in mystery, I do think I should make an attempt to explore that idea visually. I should depict what I can’t see. In Anahit’s case, there’s a head with no body. I mean… the story of Marc Anthony’s general’s dinner set. Hmm. Oh dear. Yes. That’s a story that could be told in a surreal illustration. Alright. Hmmm.
2021-04-25
This will be a 6 day, 6 entry blog. This is the first entry – 2021-04-25. It will end on 2021-04-30. I stole the formatting from my April2021 zine, Whisper. The deadlines on the two overlap but instead of finishing the zine in a burst, I’m trying to use the remaining pages as my warm-up/cool down. Same amount of time, but spread out over the week. Since I work harder when I’m procrastinating, this is the way. That was a Mandalorian reference. It’s a touch dated in April 2021.
This will be a 6 day, 6 entry blog. This is the first entry – 2021-04-25. It will end on 2021-04-30. I stole the formatting from my April2021 zine, Whisper. The deadlines on the two overlap but instead of finishing the zine in a burst, I’m trying to use the remaining pages as my warm-up/cool down. Same amount of time, but spread out over the week. Since I work harder when I’m procrastinating, this is the way. That was a Mandalorian reference. It’s a touch dated in April 2021.
…I really like waking up at 4:45 to work on art. Too bad I was SUPPOSED to be awake at 3:45. I’m honestly looking forward to it the crazy wake up time tomorrow. Who needs sleep when you’ve got art?
Today, I spent a lot of time researching. I’m a bit of loser when it comes to oversharing, so I’m always nervous about groups. But I like artists so they’re worth it. And these are real artists. I found other people’s work really inspiring. I feel like I can learn a lot about telling stories and mood this week. I’m trying to be open to new ideas and new ways of working. As you can see from the notes, I don’t really know what story I’m going to tell. I am really interested in creating a more finished portrait of the Anahit bust (bottom mid page, not the tiny figure).
I miss my grandmother right now. She was my first model. I love her hands. I can see them. Where the tendons push against her fragile skin, they are pink. They curve inward, even when she rests them together on the table. I can see them. They’re right there. And they’re gone.
…I really like waking up at 4:45 to work on art. Too bad I was SUPPOSED to be awake at 3:45. I’m honestly looking forward to it the crazy wake up time tomorrow. Who needs sleep when you’ve got art?
Today, I spent a lot of time researching. I’m a bit of loser when it comes to oversharing, so I’m always nervous about groups. But I like artists so they’re worth it. And these are real artists. I found other people’s work really inspiring. I feel like I can learn a lot about telling stories and mood this week. I’m trying to be open to new ideas and new ways of working. As you can see from the notes, I don’t really know what story I’m going to tell. I am really interested in creating a more finished portrait of the Anahit bust (bottom mid page, not the tiny figure).
I miss my grandmother right now. She was my first model. I love her hands. I can see them. Where the tendons push against her fragile skin, they are pink. They curve inward, even when she rests them together on the table. I can see them. They’re right there. And they’re gone.