InternationalCreating wall art with an Armenian twist
Shoghig Demirjian uses the “aypupen” to inspire a younger generation
Published: Friday October 09, 2009
Shoghig Demirjian.
When Shoghig Demirjian decided to decorate her four-year-old daughter Lara's room with works of art, she realized there was something missing in the market. "I wanted to decorate her room with unique and contemporary works of art; art that was fun and whimsical but yet had a modern flair.Children's wall art was everywhere. I had many options of colours and designs to choose from," she says. "However, nothing I found was truly unique. It was then, that I realized what I was really in search for, did not exist. I wanted something personal, something with meaning that would inspire her creativity."
With this idea in mind, Shoghig created Personalized Armenian Wall Art. "Unique and personal, yet stylish and educational. Not only do they add a splash of personality to the walls, but they spark your child's imagination with a graphic take on the traditional [Armenian] alphabet," she explains.
Her artwork features the Armenian alphabet in ways which can be appealing to a younger generation. She hopes to help mothers teach their children to appreciate, the "Art of Armenian Calligraphy."
Shoghig's foray into wall art was not an amateur endeavor. She graduated from the International Academy of Design and Technology in Toronto from the Graphic Design program, which offered her a solid foundation in creative design. " I quickly dove into the workforce and landed my first junior position. Over the past 9-10 years, I have worked my way up at many creative agencies, which has helped me to gain the experience that I have today. In 2005, I ventured off on my own, and created Blue Mango Graphic Solutions," she told the Armenian Reporter.
At Blue Mango, Shoghig let her creative juices flow and the result is a beautiful collection of Armenian Wall Art. "It is a wonderful feeling to design my own ideas and create products that I love and that I am proud about, but most importantly I am able to instill in our children an increasing fascination for the Armenian alphabet, an alphabet which so well depicts a people's essence, their religion and the significance of their place in history," Shoghig says. "It is rewarding for me to know that as a member of the Armenian diaspora, I have contributed in the development of Armenian art and cultural identity. The Armenian ‘aypupen' is truly a work of art."
Each print can be individually designed based on the child's name, the color choices and all frames can be customized with various different wood finishes and stains. Prints are professionally printed on archival photo quality paper with a matte pearl finish to ensure longevity and to avoid fading.
Shoghig's inspiration for color and designs stem from the latest trends in kids fashion as well as home décor. " I always try to be at the forefront of design and fashion trends," she explains. Her inspiration for different Armenian typefaces, which she uses in her wall art came from various sources. "Just recently I was able to source ‘Pomegranate fonts,' which is a joint venture between Carolyn Puzzovio (a principal lecturer at the University of Lincoln involved in design education for thirty years) and Edik Ghabuzian in Yerevan, Armenia (a former Yerevan University professor who has worked on creating Armenian computer fonts for many years.) As well the famous Fred Africkian (Armenian lettering artist) known for experimenting with the use of modern elements," Shoghig says.
Since launching her collection of wall art, the response has been very positive. "Armenian wall art has not only appealed to urban, chic couples, hip parents and their cool kids, but as well to grandparents, aunts and uncles and family members that either want the perfect gift for their little tot, or are often times confused about what gifts they should take to birthdays, baptisms, birth announcements, name days and all the other events that surround our kids today," she says.
At Blue Mango, your choice of colors and designs are limitless. Shoghig will even customize the colors to match bedding and furniture. "Art, cultural identity and hip décor all in one place. What more can a mother ask for?" she asls. Today, at Blue Mango they are shipping orders across Canada and to the United States.
And why did she name her company blue mango? "A blue mango would be a very unique fruit. Unique in colour and in taste. Therefore, Blue Mango Graphic Solutions provides that uniqueness; that ‘something different' approach to all things graphic. And the Armenian Wall Art (the newest addition to Blue Mango) fits this description perfectly," Shoghig says.
Ms. Demirjian plans to expand not only her company, but her creative approach to design. "I always prescribe to the theory of innovation," she explains. "In the future I would like to expand into a variety of different product offerings, one of which would be home décor. Creating art (using the alphabet) that can be displayed throughout the home. Again, providing personalized solutions for colour and design that coordinate well with furniture and fabrics."
bluemango@rogers.com
