OVANES BERBERIAN

Ovanes Berberian was born in Russian Armenia and received academic training under the instruction of his father, a noted artist and professor. In the summer of 1977, he immigrated to the United States. The young artist was awarded a scholarship to study with the master painter Sergei Bongart. That experience had a profound effect on him, leading to his deep understanding of color relationships, hues and values, and exposing him to the beauty of Idaho, where he currently resides.

As a plein Air purist, Berberian elects to paint on location inspired by direct relationship to his subject. “The most important thing in painting is color harmony,” he quotes. Based in traditions of realism, the works are expressionist in nature with a sense of the Old Masters. Berberian’s wonderful perception of the landscape and its moods enables him to simplify his subject matter, reducing the components to their most fundamental and poetic form. Each painting is rich with substance, striking a chord deep within the viewer.