Haymarket woman discovers the power of art therapy to ease COVID stress.
Gayane Minasyan was born on November 1st, 1969, in Yerevan, Armenia. She is the youngest of three children. Minasyan knew from an early age that she wanted to be an artist, although she got her master’s in teaching and IT programming. Gayane and her family moved to the United States in 1998.
In March 2020, Minasyan lost her colleague and started remote working, and disconnected from her social life; this resulted in feelings of isolation and added stress. She learned about the power of art. Delving into her art, Gayane felt the relief of her loneliness and the stress of her isolation, since she was still working remotely. Gayane has always been interested in art; however, until that day, I had never held a pencil or created artwork; it was evident that it was a special day that changed her life.
Gayane’s early paintings included flowers, animals, and the spirit of beauty. Though later inspired by the art of Pino Daeni, an Italian-American book illustrator and artist, an expert in the painting of feminine, romantic women and strong men, Minasyan realized that’s her passion to follow in his footsteps. Since then, she is painting beautiful women, and faces and doing collages. Those collages included coins, feathers, shells, glass, and more.
Each of her paintings tells a story. Post-Covid with the predominance of abstract art, there is a lot of “feeling, hope, wellness, self-care” but not much of a story. Gayane believes it is time again for paintings to share a message of hope, faith, and beauty and convey the artist’s outlook on the world.
Her goal is to help all ages, especially seniors, find a way to connect their bodies, mind, and soul through their creativity. She said, “You don’t need to be an artist to be part of this therapy. We will learn to communicate via art you love. Art therapy is not for artistic people; it’s truly beneficial for non-artistic.”
Minasyan holds group and individual classes. After a free one-on-one consultation, she reviews the art therapy process with the individual, creates a specific plan, and assesses the cost. Classes can be held in an individual’s home or the art studio on weekends or evenings during the week. She provides supplies for the classes, including pencils, acrylic oil, watercolor paints, paper, and canvases.
She uses her artwork not only to help others cope with the stress of pandemics but in other endeavors. In 2020 Armenia and Azerbaijan were engaged in a war, and many families lost their homes and belongings. Gayane donated some of her artwork profits to them and raised funds for clothes, food, and other necessities. Now that the war is over, she continues to help by sending funds to the injured, those who need prosthetics.
She said about art therapy, “This is when we must take care of ourselves, practice positive thinking, hope for the brighter future and continue to live. Our families need us, and together we can fight this new illness; the art is here to help. Let’s connect the beauty of art with our lives, recharge, and relax in a unique class environment to boost your mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
Gayane shared that her three arts were showcased at the ARTBOX.PROJECT Zurich 3.0. www.artboxprojects.com
Also, she presented our art during Armenian festival in Alexandria, Va. More than 500 people attended the festival, it was such an honor to represent there and meet amazing people who loves and appreciates the art. Watch the video at https://www.facebook.com/amerikayidzayn/videos/310185343873212.
Last year she purchased a condo in Crisfield, MD, and as a new resident she is willing to help the LOCAL community and share the beauty of art with residents. Criesfield is know as an art district with very talented and exceptional artists. Her art is showcased in the Crisfield Art Council, The Bay Gift Vault Store and many exhibits in the area.
Gayane has completed the Art Therapy Practitioner course in January 2022. The art therapy training recognized by IPHM (International Practitioners of Holistic Medicine), CMA (Complementary Medical Association), and CPD (Center of CPD Excellence), three international accreditation bodies.
If you have any special requests for paintings, please don’t hesitate to contact Gayane directly at gayane20000@gmail.com.