Tweet
Wahpeton Daily News
ND
LOCAL ARTIST RECEIVES $50,000 BUSH FELLOWSHIP
Erin C. Hevern, Daily News
Life for Norik Astvatsaturov, a traditional metal artist from Wahpeton,
is about to get much busier. From nearly 500 applicants, Astvatsaturov
was one of 15 chosen as a 2008 Bush Fellow at Open Book, an event
held in Minneapolis in June. As a winner, he will receive a grant of
$50,000 in unrestricted funds and professional development support
to help move his career in art forward.
Astvatsaturov's win is unique as he was the only winner from the
state of North Dakota this year and the only winner in his category --
traditional and functional craft arts.
The Bush Artist Fellowships provide strong and promising artists with
resources that enable them to deepen and advance their work and foster
their careers as artists. It is an honor to receive this grant because
it is the one of the largest artist grants in the Upper Midwest and
one of only three open-application artist fellowships of this size
in the country."I feel that at last the people here recognize that
I did something good," Astvatsaturov said.
Astvatsaturov fled with his family to the U.S. in 1992 as a refugee
from Azerbaijan, which sits on the coast of the Caspian Sea. Since
fleeing to the U.S., Astvatsaturov has continued to create the
traditional metal art work, also know as repousse, used in the Armenian
refugee communities in North Dakota as well as throughout the country
for weddings, anniversaries and other important ceremonies.
Astvatsaturov works with a variety of metals including silver, gold,
bronze and copper. He now has several plans in place for what he
needs to do with the awarded grant money.
"This fellowship will allow me to cover the difference in salary,
afford supplies and give me inspiration and time to think and create,"
Astvatsaturov said.
Although Astvatsaturov was unsure when he'd be able to begin, he
has outlined in his initial application for the grant how he will
travel in the United States and to Armenia to further his knowledge
of making traditional Armenian metal pieces. Astvatsaturov plans to
engage in dialogue with other artists and learn more about his work
in order to continue his hard work.
"For me to continue to grow artistically, to be more active and
connected in this art form and to help ensure that art remains a part
of our Armenian familial and life cycle traditions, I must show what
I can do and be better connected to Armenian Diaspora," Astvatsaturov
said. "What I will learn from other masters by traveling to Armenia
will be reflected in my new work."
A second set of plans includes taking time off to create more repousse
works. Astvatsaturov said he hopes to create at least two Armenian
icon pieces and several more metal jewelry boxes. He has additional
hopes that his 23-year-old son Mikhail will work with him so he can
teach him more about making traditional Armenian art.
"When I die, someone will have to know," Astvatsaturov said.
Although his new work will take time and a lot of preparation to
complete, Astvatsaturov hopes to represent the beauty of his home
country in his new pieces.
"This opportunity will help us celebrate and commemorate our
traditions the way we have in the past to remind us of who we are,"
Astvatsaturov said.
ND
LOCAL ARTIST RECEIVES $50,000 BUSH FELLOWSHIP
Erin C. Hevern, Daily News
Life for Norik Astvatsaturov, a traditional metal artist from Wahpeton,
is about to get much busier. From nearly 500 applicants, Astvatsaturov
was one of 15 chosen as a 2008 Bush Fellow at Open Book, an event
held in Minneapolis in June. As a winner, he will receive a grant of
$50,000 in unrestricted funds and professional development support
to help move his career in art forward.
Astvatsaturov's win is unique as he was the only winner from the
state of North Dakota this year and the only winner in his category --
traditional and functional craft arts.
The Bush Artist Fellowships provide strong and promising artists with
resources that enable them to deepen and advance their work and foster
their careers as artists. It is an honor to receive this grant because
it is the one of the largest artist grants in the Upper Midwest and
one of only three open-application artist fellowships of this size
in the country."I feel that at last the people here recognize that
I did something good," Astvatsaturov said.
Astvatsaturov fled with his family to the U.S. in 1992 as a refugee
from Azerbaijan, which sits on the coast of the Caspian Sea. Since
fleeing to the U.S., Astvatsaturov has continued to create the
traditional metal art work, also know as repousse, used in the Armenian
refugee communities in North Dakota as well as throughout the country
for weddings, anniversaries and other important ceremonies.
Astvatsaturov works with a variety of metals including silver, gold,
bronze and copper. He now has several plans in place for what he
needs to do with the awarded grant money.
"This fellowship will allow me to cover the difference in salary,
afford supplies and give me inspiration and time to think and create,"
Astvatsaturov said.
Although Astvatsaturov was unsure when he'd be able to begin, he
has outlined in his initial application for the grant how he will
travel in the United States and to Armenia to further his knowledge
of making traditional Armenian metal pieces. Astvatsaturov plans to
engage in dialogue with other artists and learn more about his work
in order to continue his hard work.
"For me to continue to grow artistically, to be more active and
connected in this art form and to help ensure that art remains a part
of our Armenian familial and life cycle traditions, I must show what
I can do and be better connected to Armenian Diaspora," Astvatsaturov
said. "What I will learn from other masters by traveling to Armenia
will be reflected in my new work."
A second set of plans includes taking time off to create more repousse
works. Astvatsaturov said he hopes to create at least two Armenian
icon pieces and several more metal jewelry boxes. He has additional
hopes that his 23-year-old son Mikhail will work with him so he can
teach him more about making traditional Armenian art.
"When I die, someone will have to know," Astvatsaturov said.
Although his new work will take time and a lot of preparation to
complete, Astvatsaturov hopes to represent the beauty of his home
country in his new pieces.
"This opportunity will help us celebrate and commemorate our
traditions the way we have in the past to remind us of who we are,"
Astvatsaturov said.