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Park
Artists |
Copyright 2004-2006 Zina Saunders All rights reserved |
Jacob,
The Master, age 57, is originally from Armenia and came
to New York 13 years ago. He spent five years in Moscow, where
he painted a copy of a Van Dyck for the Pushkin Museum, to hang
in place of the original while it was restored.When I came here, 13 years ago, I spoke no English. Somebody told me, "I saw artists outside working, maybe you can, too," and I said, "Of course I can do it." So, I came and the first day, I made money—$100. I said, "Oh this is nice!" One hundred dollars, in my country, is like one month pay. In the winter, I do a lot of work with a church. One church has all my paintings inside, it's like a Jacob Church; in Douglaston, St. Sarkis Church. These people from the church, they find me, and they gave me one work, I did very good, they liked it very much, and they said, "I want in this church only your work." And also I work for St Jacob's church in Montreal, Canada. People I paint may be thinking about french fries, maybe about money, but that is not who they are. They are human, they have a soul, and I try to find the real person and capture that. But I want them to come with me. It's like I've got them hypnotized, I'm going inside, and "Please come with me". My character is very similar to the New York character. I'm maybe crazy like New York: I'm sometimes not smart, sometimes very smart. I developed this painting technique myself, using the dry brush with oil paint on paper. And diesel oil! My technique is also like New York: it can be very fast, like magic. Sometimes I sit and say, this is unbelievable! I don't believe it! |