THE DILANCHYAN ART CENTER THRIVES ON AN INCLUSIVE APPROACH
by Mariette Tachdjian
Armenian Reporter
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October 22, 2008
Armenia
Learning and being creative at the Dilanchyan Art Center in Glendale.
Glendale, Calif. – There are few learning environments within
the Los Angeles Armenian community where creativity, imagination,
and self-expression are fostered through a multitude of artistic
media. One such place lies behind an unassuming storefront window
along a stretch of industrial establishments on San Fernando Boulevard
in Glendale. The Dilanchyan Art Center, dubbed "Norik’s Art Studio,"
is run by the Dilanchyan family: father Norik and his two sons, Narek
and Vartan. The business thrives on inspiring and teaching students
of several generations, from small children to septuagenarians.
At the Dilanchyan Art Center, children and adults share the same
learning space, playing with canvases while dipping into bountiful
color palettes. Owner and master artist Norik Dilanchyan operates the
center on the principle that all students must have a solid training in
the fundamentals of art – including sketching, perspective, and figure
drawing. Among stacks of palettes and easels, students soak in the
nurturing art environment up to twice a week, with 90-minute classes,
and receive a fair amount of one-on-one attention. The second-floor
classroom, in particular, is reminiscent of an old European-style
art institute.
"Kids of different ages are choosing to come here, whereas at [their
regular] schools art is part of the curriculum and they have to fulfill
the requirement," says Norik, who, prior to launching the Dilanchyan
Art Center, taught at local institutions such as the Los Angeles Art
Academy, Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles Valley College, and
Holy Martyrs Ferrahian School. Of all his professional engagements,
Norik said, starting his own art school has been the most satisfying.
Narek Dilanchyan is committed to teaching students with the same
dedication as shown by his father. As a student at the Pasadena Art
Center, he feels he is guided by his father’s principles while learning
avant-garde art styles and techniques and in turn offering a fresh
perspective to his students. His brother, Vartan, the business-savvy
member of the team, handles the logistics of the Dilanchyan Art
Center’s operations. "It’s a collective effort," he says Vartan. He is
soon to graduate from Woodbury University with a business degree. The
Dilanchyan faculty also includes graphic designer Tigran Tashchyan,
who teaches various programs in computer design. Tashchyan says he
is sometimes challenged by the younger generation. "They know more
about computers than I do," he notes lightheartedly.
The art of teaching art The art of teaching art is not limited
to the classroom. Through his television program, broadcast four
times a week on the Armenian channel AMGA 280, Norik has recently
been able to reach out to more kids who would otherwise be stuck in
their two-dimensional video-game world. On his show, Norik conducts
a 30-minute art session, during which he demonstrates techniques in a
variety of art forms including basic figure sketching, painting, and
cartooning. "We wanted to expand the business and enroll more Armenian
kids," explains Norik, whose television program can be seen at 7:00
a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Although Norik received his formal art education in Armenia, his
career didn’t really begin until he moved to the United States with
his family, in 1992. He credits his wife as a main support during
the years he acquired professional training in a new country. Soon
thereafter he entered and won an art competition sponsored by the
Lincy Foundation, which commissioned him to illustrate a series
of eight Armenian school textbooks. While working on the project,
Norik also gained recognition for his paintings – which are currently
represented by the Mark Allan Art gallery in Laguna Beach, California.
Norik says he finds great satisfaction in seeing kids and adults
discover their artistic potential and build self-confidence. When
asked what makes the Dilanchyan Art Center different from other such
schools, he says, "We don’t limit ourselves to a single teaching
methodology." He explains that students are encouraged to experiment
in different artistic techniques and media, though never at the expense
of a solid foundation. Both Norik and Narek find that students love to
come up with their own styles, and in the process discover unexpected
solutions.
The Dilanchyan Art Center, where enrollment is not limited to students
of Armenian descent, holds an annual student exhibition, where budding
artists between the ages of 5 and 75 get to showcase their work.
In a time when art is ever-evolving through digital media and
traditional art forms take a back seat, it is good to know that there
are folks out there who still care about sharing art as both a labor
of love and an invaluable service to the community.