May 2023

Tell us about your family?

I was born into a family of 2^nd generation  Armenians, which means all my grandparents survived the Armenian Genocide  of 1915. We are a family of waves riders literally and metaphorically. We not  only navigated some atrocious circumstances in life but we thoroughly enjoy life too, especially moments in the great outdoors riding ocean waves, & shredding  (skiing) snow-capped mountains. All my grandparents & parents and most  uncles & aunts passed on decades ago. Today my true (extended) family has  expanded globally and so I now consider myself belong to a family of Rainbow  Light Peace Keepers.  

Do you have pets, if yes, tell us about them?

For over 20 years I had the  pleasure of sharing my home with three kitties who all passed on in the past  three years. Betty Diamond, my oldest, came to me from a kitty litter. Mukti (the  Sanskrit word for liberation) and Karuna (the Sanskrit word for compassion), feral  kitten siblings, were running for their lives in West University Neighborhood until I  rescued them but we all know who rescued who. Betty Diamond on the other  hand was a Guru in disguise and our connection was uncanny. All three brought  immense joy into my life and saw me thru the twists and turns & the highs and  lows of life. I adored each of them, and look forward to the next kitty I am  blessed with.  

When did you know that you would be an artist?

I never knew I would be an  artist, I just knew I was a creator from an early age. I was drawing, painting,  linoleum block printing, building with papier-mâché, cardboard, wood, and clay  early in life. Unfortunately, pursuing art beyond High School was not supported  by my dad, although my childhood art teachers recognized my gift and passion,  and did there best to encourage me to apply to art schools. My formal education  & degrees are in Mathematics & Computer Science, and although my training in  ceramics is not considered formal, I have been taught, touched & guided to my  heART by many visible & invisible hands. 

What is your favorite media to work with?

Hands down low fire earthenware  clay is my favorite medium to work with. I absolutely love having my hands in the  clay. Clay not only feels good it is a most friendly and forgiving medium to work  with before the first firing. Low fire clay bodies allow me to achieve the vibrant  colors in my glazes. I also love co-creating with the kiln gods and goddesses  who have a hand in every piece. Letting go is a practice but always so exciting  when it’s time to open my kilns after a glaze firing.  

What do you do when you’re not doing your art?

If I’m not fixing something  around the house or doing office work, I’m enjoying the great outdoors, hiking,  biking, skiing, surfing, diving, or kayaking… either solo or with friends in Tucson,  or out of town guests. This past year I was teaching skiing on Mt Lemmon  because we had three months of snow. I love getting to the Lower Salt River and  Patagonia lake to kayak and swim in the summers. Hiking & biking to waterholes  with waterfalls in Sabino Canyon never gets old, and neither does the ocean and  riding the waves in Encinitas, CA. Diving in Mexico was no comparison to taking  my open water dive certification in the Long Island Sound when I was a teenager.  Art openings, dancing, time in the yard, and time in the kitchen cooking good meals are some other things I do when I’m not creating in the studio.