Vahe's Ark: A Vessel of Eclectic Modes of Expression




If I had to define my leading attitude in daily life, I would say I am a keen observer. Indeed, observation has been the guide to my academic and artistic worlds for more than 40 years. As an epidemiologist, a professor, a poet and a street photographer, I have always searched for the overlooked obvious. To paraphrase, when others looked for zebras at the sound of hoofs, I looked for horses. Maybe for mules.

In the past two years, I have been learning about Southwestern art. To fully understand the modes of expression in this region rich with Native American traditions and Native American artists, one has to also learn about and respect the physical environment. The desert, the sun, the wildlife and the rhythm of life within this context. Slowly, I learned to experiment with modes of expression other than words and photography.

I have self-taught myself in many interests I pursue. I have even learned languages without formal training and guidance. I think when one learns “unofficially”, the biases of the teacher(s) are taken out of the process. As such, one can be as creative (or crazy some may say…) as he/she wants. The expression is pure at that point.

So, I decided to start a new blog to share some of my new modes of expression. You can visit my photography blog here: https://liveingray.blogspot.com and my literary blog here: https://vahezen.blogspot.com.

About the above painting: where I live there is a variety of wildlife co-existing with us humans. Every morning I see deer, every evening javelinas (peccaries), bobcats and coyotes, and rattle snakes often cross my way when walking in the open desert. The coexistence with these animals is peaceful and enjoyable. But there is one big cat, the cougar or mountain lion, which makes us fear for our life and that of our pets.
I painted my version of a mountain lion on hare skin using oil paint. Note that the ears are made of the hare’s scapulae and the tail of three jackrabbit (hare) tails glued together.



October 1, 2017
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©Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 ans 2023

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