1983_04 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper Spring 1983

              page 6 rjMQSs (5
HYESiffl>^ZlK(D)(DMSPRING1983IHIVIESHARZHOOM
Artist, philosopher, author...and everymaris neighbor
ay Michelle Magarian
Think of him as a philosopher, a
storyteller, a teacher, and a historian, as
well as an artist. In addition to his many
abilities, he possesses a sense of kindness
and humbleness that sets him apart from
many others. When I spoke with Varaz
Samuelian I realized just how much he
has to offer people, especially the
community of Fresno. Speaking to Varaz,
one gains insight into his art and discovers
his pride in Armenian ethnicity.
For anyone unfamiliar with Varaz, he
was born in Erevan, Armenia, in 1917.
After obtaining his teaching credential in
1938, he decided to continue his study of
art and was admitted to the Art Institute.
When World War II broke out, Varaz
joined the Soviet Army. After the war
ended, he spent some time in France
working as a student painter, making just
enough money to eat a few meals. When
he eventually came to the United States,
he made Fresno his permanent home and
set up his studio. He originally painted
signs and worked on art projects in his
spare time. Until the age of 65, Varaz
hadn't earned any money from his art.
"Despite my financial failure as an artist, I
work harder and harder every day on art.
I worship art, labor, our bountiful earth,
the soil, water, sun, and the animal and
plant world."
Varaz has become accustomed to this
lack of financial support; he is not an artist
who paints pretty pictures to hang on
walls. "My paintings not pretty like
flowers and apples, they expresss
something." He says the reason people
don't buy his work is because it requires a
certain knowledge. "My picture telling
something; a message about working for
peace in the world. Equality too." Varaz
hates war; most of his paintings are antiwar, showing the great misery it causes.
ne is currently working on a mural
which is 100 feet long and 24 feet high.
This huge work of art, entitled "Dvin,"
relates to peace against war. When it is
completed, in two or three months, it will
be displayed in another of Varaz's unique
creations--the "Varaz Modern Art
Museum." yaraz also plans to beqin work
soon on a bronze statue of William
Saroyan. Mayor Dan Whitehurst asked
him to create this statue for the William
Saroyan Theatre at the Fresno
Convention Center. The well-known
author, and personal friend of Varaz, will
be portrayed riding his bicycle. After he
finishes his many projects, Varaz would
also like to complete his book on the
history of his twenty-five year friendship
with William Saroyan.
Besides art, war, Saroyan, money, and
dozens of other subjects, Samuelian also
feels strongly about his Armenian
identity. "Armenians have to keep their
heritage. Don't be quick to give up your
Armenian nationality; we just as good as
any other nationality. Don't feel yourself
low, we have very good culture. We give
lots of cultural things to the world, we
have a lot of good, important people."
He does want to point out that although
he is proud of the Armenian heritage, Tm
not a fanatic; we're just as good as others,
but not better."
"Keeping a nationality is a hard thing.
Many struggles, but we've kept our own
church and background instead of giving
it up. We fought."
When talking about the Armenia of
today, Varaz said, "We still have a
country; the people are different, but we
have a small place. It belongs to us. The
government is different, but it is
Armenia." Just because Armenia is run
by different people doesn't mean that we
should disregard our homeland, he
maintains. Armenia will always be.
Above: Varaz works on his
latest mural--"Dvin." Left:
One of the artist's most powerful works - "Disasters of War."
While I sat with Varaz and talked to him, I
realized how much he has to offer. Not
only does he give through his art and
stories of Armenia, but he gives through
his kind and patient actions as well. He
spends hours showing people the "Varaz
Modern Art Museum" (which he built
with his own hands over a 13-year period);
people who he knows will never buy
anything and want only to look. Even if he
is busy painting he will open his museum
specifically for people to see. Varaz also
leads children on tours of his great sculpture
of David of Sassoun. He doesn't do any of
these things for recognition, or because
Garabedian's journal
someone is going to pay him well. It is
because he cares for people and truly
loves what he is doing, that he is so giving
of himself.
On top of everything else, he is sincerely humble. Varaz told me about a
man and woman visiting from Lebanon
who came to visit his museum. He showed
the couple into his museum and left them
to look at the collection. When they were
ready to leave, Varaz asked them if they
had enjoyed the museum. They replied,
"We have heard so much about Varaz,
and we enjoy his art. He's very famous in
Lebanon. Perhaps we'll be able to meet
him someday." When I asked Varaz why
he didn't say who he was, he told me,
"They expect a great man in a suit and tie.
If they knew it was only me like this (he
had paint on his hands and clothes), they
would be disappointed."
Although Varaz may not think so, it
would be impossible to be disappointed in
such a talented, kind, and personable
man. He has so much to offer; the community of Fresno should utilize these
resources. Go by his museum, "The Varaz
Modern Art Museum," to see his work of
just to talk to him. Varaz always has time
for his friends.
Discovering Armenia in Montana
This is the second part of My Personal Journey, a book-length narrative by Michael Garabedian of a trip from
California to New York by car and a series of essays about Armenian life in the
diaspora and Armenian national problems. Like the other parts of the work
which Hye Sharzhoom hopes to publish in serial form, it was written and
researched while traveling. In the long
introduction Mr. Garabedian explains his
search for America, its broad unknown
expanses, and within that his own Armenian identity. He repeats his amazement at
finding so much unknown or little-known
Armenian history in states-Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Montana-which are seldom associated with Armenian life.
Michael Garabedian is an international
lawyer who formerly worked for California State Senator Rose Ann Vuich. Now
living and writing in New York he has
become a quiet activist in Armenian
affairs while working for the Sierra Club.
He became closely associated with Hye
Sharzhoom and the Armenian Studies
Program at Fresno State in
September 1981 during the now famous,
but badly reported, Berkeley Conference
"Armenians in the Eighties," sponsored by
the Armenian Assembly. Shortly afterward he visited Fresno and spent time
discussing issues with a student who had
gone to the Berkeley Conference. Before
leaving on his journey he discussed
aspects of it with students and Dr. Dickran Kouymjian and left armed with names
and addresses.
We are pleased that his travels were so
fruitful and his search so intense and
productive.
What have been the factors leading to
assimilation of our people within the
larger society and what factors have
inspired us to keep our national identity
intact?
Barbara Merguerian in the paper
"Trends Within the Armenian-
American Community"
presented at the Berkeley Conference:
"Armenians in the Eighties"
by Michael Garabedian
He had been responsible for
assembling the state of Montana's files on
ethnic groups-one for each in the state.
Yet the librarian in Helena at the Montana
State Historical Society knew of no
references to Armenians- in his state.
Neither did Professor Tony Beltramo of
the University of Montana Foreign
Languages Department who has been
doing a study of all languages spoken
throughout the sprawling territory.
Neither had I except for a false alarm from
a friend in Utah who knew a Montanan
named Yederian who turned out to be
French.
Yet amongst my souvenirs from my trip
across the United States are two printed
invitations from the Ambassador of
Armenia announcing annual formal
garden receptions in Montana's capitol
city, Helena, for the First Primate of the
Armenian Orthodox Church one year
and for six Armenian debutantes another.
The first of the three years it was simply
an occasion to meet the Ambassador.
I gasped in disbelief and stopped as well
as I could on the icy sidewalk of Last
Chance Gulch, Helena's main street,
when I first heard about the affair, I was
dumbfounded, and I protested loudly.
After all, I had been in Helena several days
and nearly all had never heard of
Armenians in Montana. I had only met
one half-Armenian and I was beginning to
feel like the second. But I was not
completely sure in my objection. I had
just downed a Guiness, and if Helena had
stout beer, perhaps there was an element
of truth in this sudden turn of events. And
besides, my friend wouldn't pull my leg
about something so obviously important
to me. But 200 guests?
A closer look at the invitation provides
some clues. The Ambassador's name is
Messrobe Nahabedian. And the First
Primate was being presented along with
"Azniv, Duchess of Azerbaijan" at the
Helena Home for Unwed Boys. And,
"Formal Dress and Uniforms." And the
clincher: "Bring Hors d'oeuvres and a
Bottle."
Many people in Helena know Bernie
Madura as The Ambassador" and this is
how they address him on the street. His
mother, Helen Sardissian Madura of
Hammond, Indiana knows him best of all,
perhaps. People in Florida, even, had a
chance to know him while he was Public
Information Officer for several years in a
hospital there. But Bernie came to Helena
when the hospital administration changed
to visit two friends and he has stayed to
consult for private and state groups on
health and related matters.
The party is alleged to be the social
event of the season in Helena. Bernie
makes a speech in Armenian, introduces
special guests, and then mingles with the
crowd. The other Armenians are played
by odars, including the six debutantes,
Miss Arpine Bogosian, Makko Atamian,
Ahnkeen Maloian, Vartig Pogosoff, Ze-
novia Sarkisian, and Sally Kerkorian, all
blond with blue eyes. I have not heard of
any Armenians other than Bernie who
cont. on page 8