This painting is based on an old photo of my mother and her brother as children. Likely taken by one of their parents, the photo is bright and blurry, like a memory. In painting it, I wanted to understand who my mother was before I knew her. As her child, my view of her is shaped by that role. But through this image, I glimpse another side—joyful, playful, whole. This work is part of a two-piece series that explores how family photos can reveal pieces of a person that are usually hidden from the next generation.

Balthus is a 36 x 48-inch oil painting that responds to the controversial works of the artist Balthus. His portraits of a young girl named Thérèse sparked questions about the power dynamics in art. In this piece, I place myself in one of her poses, but with key changes. My gaze is direct, removing the passivity of the original. My daughter stands behind me, looking out the window—curious, yet still under my protection. A third figure, a male nude, leaps from a painting on the wall. This shift in gaze and subject disrupts the traditional narrative and reclaims the power.

This 20 x 20-inch oil painting captures a tender exchange between my daughter and her grandmother. Based on a fleeting, everyday moment, the work embraces a looser, more expressive style that reflects the warmth and intimacy of family. Soft edges, shifting light, and blurred color invite the viewer to feel rather than see — to remember through emotion. In painting the ordinary, I elevate it into something sacred. This piece explores memory, presence, and the invisible thread connecting generations. When memory fades, art holds what we can’t always say: love, loss, and everything that lingers in between.

BETWEEN THEN AND NOW (30 x 40", oil on canvas) is based on a candid 1970s photograph of my parents. Part of my Family Archiving series, this work explores how memory, grief, and cultural identity evolve over time. Symbolic objects like a coffee pot, cups, and cigarettes become anchors of love and loss. Through intentional shifts in color and composition, I reimagine personal history to ask: What is truth in family memory—and does it matter? As a diasporic Armenian, this painting is a gesture of preservation and a bridge between inherited memory and the future.

In Anchored in Time, two brothers sit still in a richly adorned Armenian diasporic home. The lush carpet, a hallmark of cultural pride and continuity, spans half the painting—its presence grounding the figures and evoking heritage across generations. One brother quietly holds a disposable mask, rooting this intimate scene within the historical specificity of the COVID-19 pandemic. This oil painting (36 x 48") explores the layered relationship between domestic space, collective memory, and cultural resilience. It is part of the artist’s Family Archiving series, which reimagines private family moments as visual records of diasporic identity, survival, and inherited belonging.

In Armenian, “կռիւ” means struggle, pronounced like the English grieve. This 48" x 60" oil painting is a response to the loss of my father and the immense emotional labor of being present in his final moments. I painted the portrait larger than life—because aging people are too often erased, ignored, or made invisible in our society. This work demands presence. It honors love not as comfort, but as endurance. Grief and struggle live side by side in this piece, offering a raw yet loving testimony to what it means to bear witness to death, and to make memory monumental.

Bear Witness reclaims the visual language of classical sacred painting to confront the enduring legacy of sexual and gendered violence. Inspired by Remnants by Elyse Semerdjian, this work reframes the weaponization of women’s bodies in times of war—from the Armenian Genocide to today—through a feminist lens. It offers an unflinching yet dignified portrayal that strips shame from victims and returns dignity to silenced stories. Rooted in diasporic identity and intergenerational trauma, Bear Witness is both a personal archive and a collective act of remembrance, inviting viewers to hold space for pain, resilience, and transformation.

Fertility is a violent and bloody affair, far from the gentle femininity often ascribed to it. This tension is at the core of Anahid, the first piece in my series reimagining Armenian female goddesses from pre-Christian times. 

In The Barber of Alexandria, artist Marie Khediguian paints herself into a 1950s family photo, blending oil, memory, and diaspora. Inspired by her grandfather’s barbershop in Alexandria, Egypt, the piece reclaims Armenian heritage through intimate storytelling. This work explores nostalgia, trauma, and belonging with emotional depth and painterly precision.

She is sweetness forged in fire. Anoush, mother of dragons, rises from the molten heart of Mount Ararat—eternal, beautiful, and utterly untamable.

Spandaramet, goddess of death and memory, emerges from the shadows in a haunting watercolor. Part of Marie Khediguian’s series reviving Armenia’s pre-Christian goddesses through large-scale art.

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Explore the captivating allure of a large-scale watercolour featuring a pre-Christian Armenian goddess. This striking artwork captures the essence of ancient spirituality and cultural heritage, showcasing intricate details and vibrant hues that evoke a sense of mystique. Perfect for art enthusiasts and collectors alike, this piece is a celebration of femininity and mythology, bringing a touch of the divine into your space. Elevate your collection with this unique homage to Armenia’s rich history.

Bright colours blur into a magical scene, where dream-like hues and softened faces stir nostalgia and mystery. This painting, inspired by a photograph of my grandfather with his children—including my mother—captures the interplay of memory and imagination. Enlarged with magical realism, it conveys the emotional essence of a moment where clarity is elusive but significance reigns.