Karine Dulyan Artist

ACRYLICS, WATERCOLOR, COLLAGE, INK, MIXED MEDIA ARTWORKS

KAR

RINE DULYAN ARTIST

IG: karishok.dulyan WhatsApp: + 374 94 54 09 82 E-mail: karina.dulyan@gmail.com FB page: Karine Dulyan Artist

Karine Dulyan is a contemporary ar�st based in Yerevan (Armenia). She focuses on cityscapes and abstract pain�ngs. Her first solo exhibi�on took place when she was only five years old.

Later she chose to be an architect, keen on sketching and pain�ng, and it wasn’t un�l 2020 that she decided to focus full-�me on pain�ng.

A�er gradua�ng from the Na�onal University of Architecture and Construc�on of Armenia, she spent three years in Spain, where she obtained a Master's Degree in Arts and New Technologies from European University of Madrid and in Urban Design from Madrid Polytechnic University.

Despite her career as an architect and urban designer un�l 2020, she developed a solid academic founda�on in pain�ng during her �me in the Art department at her university.

Addi�onally, she a�ended various art studios led by ar�sts and architects in Armenia, where she took classes in fine art, drawing, and sketching.

She works with watercolor, acrylics, ink, pastel, pencils, and other media. She is praised for the visual variety of her artworks, and the pleasant feelings they bring to people. Her works contain all her experiences as an architect, urbanist, traveler and are soaked with her childhood memories and dreams. Her main strength is seeing the beauty in the surrounding world and helping people see it as well.

Exhibitions • “Crossing Points” group exhibi�on, Galeria Azur, New York, November-December 2024 • “Evertything is Connected_” Solo show, Pasadena An�que Auc�ons, Pasadena, California, September 2024 • “Art & Aid” Art show fundraiser by FCN benefi�ng the children of Armenia. Glendale, California, August 2024 • World Art Dubai 2024 • ARTCONTACT Istambul 2024 • “Dissonance”. Group exhibi�on, Nikoghosyan Cultural Founda�on, Yerevan, May 2024 • “Tending the Frenzy”. Group exhibi�on of members of Yerevan Biennial Art Founda�on. La�tude Art Space, Yerevan, April, 2024 • “Karishok Birthday”. Solo exhibi�on at “Greenpoint Art Café”. Yerevan, April 4-20, 2024 • “Art Ambassadors”. Group exhibi�on organized by Art Embassy. Yerevan, April 11-21, 2024 • Za�kArtFest. Group Art performance of 40 Armenian ar�sts, organized by FtN�.AM. Charles Aznavour Square, Yerevan, March 31, 2024 • Architectural Sketches exhibi�on. Group exhibi�on in Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art. Yerevan, March 16-29, 2024 • “Live, Laugh, Love” solo exhibi�on at “Common Ground” cultural space, Yerevan, October 25 – November 9, 2023 • “Art for Artsakh” charitable solo exhibi�on sale in Yerevan Biennial Art Founda�on’s A1 Art Space, Yerevan, October 7-15 2023 • “Make Love Not War” solo exhibi�on in Na�onal Parliamentary Library of Georgia, Tbilisi, August 30-September 3 2023.

• “Notes from Sun City” solo exhibi�on in the Layers Gallery, Pasadena, California, June 16-20, 2023 • Solo show in St. Andrew Armenian Apostolic Church of Cuper�no, California, June 2023 • Par�cipa�on at First Friday show in Blitzer Gallery, Santa Cruz, California, 2 June 2023 • “My Ci�es” solo exhibi�on in the Gallery of Zangak Bookstore in Yerevan, September 19 – October 28, 2022 • Opening of an artwork “Make Love not War” in the House-Museum of Aram Khachaturian in Yerevan, September 9, 2022 • Open air solo exhibi�on during the Strawberry Fields Forever fes�val in Watsonville CA, May 15, 2022 • Solo exhibi�on in St. Andrew Armenian Apostolic Church in Cuper�no CA, April 23-24 2022 • Group Exhibi�on at the Union of Ar�sts of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia, February 10-17, 2022 • Group Exhibi�on at the Na�onal Chamber of Architects of Armenia, Yerevan, October 4-17 2021 • Solo exhibi�on-concert in the House-museum of Aram Khachatryan, Yerevan, Armenia, July 2021 • "Awakening" Solo Exhibi�on in the Na�onal Chamber of Architects of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia, May June 2021 • Ellipsis Digital & Augmented Reality Art Exhibit Group Exhibi�on, Glendale, Ca, USA, 2021 • Fundraiser sale of artworks for homeless families of Artsakh at Brand Park Glendale CA, November 22, 29, 2020.

• "Architectural Sketches Collec�on" exhibi�on, Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Arts, Yerevan, November 2019.

• Fes�val-Compe��on of young ar�sts of all Russia. Diploma of Honor. Moscow 1989

My Favorite Things

Acrylics and collage on canvas 160 x 160 cm (4 pieces 80 X 80) 2024

The Mediterranean Series

BREAKFAST AT THE TERRACE

Ink and watercolor pens on cardboard, 21 x 15 cm 2022

PORT TOWN

Acrylics on a printed canvas, 96 x 70 cm 2022

I enjoy experimen�ng with the scale of my artworks. We're accustomed to viewing large pain�ngs in a smaller format, o�en on our smartphones. However, we're not equally accustomed to the reverse effect—when a smaller pain�ng suddenly becomes much larger. I used to perform such experiments during my student days, using a photocopy machine, and the results some�mes turned into astonishing new artworks! I con�nue to employ this technique today; some�mes I paint on a small cardboard and then print it on a larger canvas, adding further details. The resul�ng works evoke a completely different sensa�on. Two of the artworks on this page were created using this method, and the one on the le� remains in its smaller scale, awai�ng its moment to shine.

SEATOWN BAND Mixed media on canvas 100 X 70 cm 2022

Color Gourmets Series

Acrylics on cardboard, 28x20 cm 2024

Acrylics on canvas, 100 x 70 cm 2024

I approach pain�ng as an open-ended dialogue with the world, where every piece is an explora�on of a different mood, thought, or emo�on. My work doesn’t adhere to a single style or method; instead, it reflects a crea�ve mul�plicity—a kaleidoscope of voices and perspec�ves. This diversity mirrors how I experience life: fluid, dynamic, and ever-changing.

Each artwork emerges from a unique moment, like a story from One Thousand and One Nights, where variety itself becomes a narra�ve thread, weaving tales of constant reinven�on.

In today’s art world, there’s a strong expecta�on for ar�sts to develop a singular, recognizable “voice.” While many find strength in that cohesion, I see power in oscilla�on and variety. My process resists linearity, blending the spontaneous and the inten�onal, the playful and the profound. This approach aligns with the metamodernist spirit—oscilla�ng between opposites, embracing ambiguity, and finding truth in the interplay of contras�ng ideas.

My ar�s�c diversity also reflects a playful curiosity. Each piece feels like Monty Python’s bold declara�on: “And now... for something completely different!” This freedom allows me to embrace contradic�ons, experiment with abandon, and celebrate mistakes as opportuni�es for growth. My work offers a mosaic of perspec�ves, invi�ng viewers to join me in naviga�ng the uncertain�es of contemporary life. In this mul�plicity, I find not just ar�s�c expression but a resonance with the complexity of our shared experience, where the metamodernist spirit thrives in the dance between the personal and universal, the serious and the whimsical.

MINT TOWN Acrylics on canvas 110 x 60 cm 2024

My Imaginary Worlds

PINK TOWER

A TOWN WITH AN ELEPHANT

Acrylics on cardboard, 36 x 17 cm

Watercolor on paper, 60 x 50 cm

2024

2021

HANGING TOWN Acrylics on printed canvas 100 x 70 cm 2022

My Towns PLAYER PIANO Acrylics on canvas, 80 x 80 cm 2024

JAZZ LISTENERS Acrylics on cardboard, 80 x 80 cm 2024

A LITTLE TREE SQUEEZED BETWEEN THE HOUSES Acrylics on canvas, 90 x 50 cm 2024

VENICE SERIES Acrylics on cardboard, 90 x 50 cm 2024

Semi-abstract and imaginary FAR OFF LANDS Ink and watercolor on paper, 80 x 95 cm 2023

A TOWN WITH WHITE WALLS Mixed media on cardboard, 20 x 20 cm 2023

Semi-abstract and imaginary 

DANDELION FIELDS Acrylics on cardboard 50 x 70 cm 2020

As I sit and observe the �meless dance of dandelions swaying in the breeze, I can't help but reflect on the moment when you haven't yet taken that crucial step, and a boundless realm of poten�al possibili�es awaits. Un�l ac�on is taken, there exists a vast world of poten�al scenarios, each stretching out before you. It's the perfect moment because once you take ac�on, you select just one of those many paths. It might be a good one, even splendid, or perhaps less ideal, but it's only one path—a single train you board. Yet before that, an infinite mul�tude of lines and branches extend in all direc�ons.

YELLOW SAVANNAH Ink, watercolor on paper, 57 x 78 cm 2021

Dreamy Landscapes

DREAMY MEADOWS Ink and watercolor pens on glossy cardboard, 21 x 15 cm 2022

VANILLA CRÈME BRÛLÉE Ink on paper, 20 x 30 cm 2021

FRANNIE’S WORLD Mixed media on glossy paper, 47 x 32 cm 2022 Inspired by Francis Boag

Color Inspiration MINT AND BLUE Acrylics on canvas 60 x 30 cm 2023

MINT AND ORANGE Acrylics on canvas 60 x 34 cm 2023

These two mark the beginning of a new era in my art.

The one on the right is imaginary. It used to depict a cityscape with the tops of high-rise buildings, but now it feels much more medita�ve and serene.

In the pain�ng on the le�, I used a photograph sent to me by a friend as a reference. I was drawn to the slope, the �me of day, the ligh�ng, and the composi�on in the photograph. I liked the various layers and the distant mountains in the scene. However, I made a deliberate choice to alter the color pale�e. My inspira�on for the color scheme came from the work of Paul Balmer. I selected one of his pain�ngs and used it as a reference for the colors I used in my own artwork. The result represents a fusion of the captured moment in the photograph, my emo�onal state, and the color combina�ons from Paul's work.I find it fascina�ng how this artwork serves as a bridge between the talent of my friend photographer, a par�cular moment in the life of a city, one of my beloved ar�sts, and my emo�onal state of that moment. Isn’t it amazing?

Make Love not War Series

RED AND PINK Acrylics on canvas 3 * (60 x 50 cm ) 2023

As you most probably know, on our way of evolu�on, before evolving into human beings we have passed many stages of different other creatures. However, our most recent and significant evolu�onary divergence was from the predecessors of chimpanzees and bonobos. These two primate species are our closest rela�ves, yet they exhibit vastly different behaviors. Chimpanzees, like humans, can display aggression, while bonobos have a remarkable approach to conflict resolu�on. Before engaging in any disputes, female bonobos make a unique offer that no one can refuse – they ini�ate sexual interac�ons. As a result, conflicts among bonobos tend to be resolved harmoniously.

Many of my pain�ngs reflect my aspira�ons for people to be more wise and friendly, akin to the bonobos, and for our species to have evolved along a more peaceful and coopera�ve trajectory.

MAKE LOVE NOT WAR Acrylics on canvas, 105 x 160 cm 2022

I believe that this pain�ng encapsulates three deeply ingrained aspects of my iden�ty. The first is my profound passion for observing windows. For as long as I can remember, I've played a personal game where I gaze at windows and invent stories about what might be unfolding behind each one. This fascina�on was par�cularly intensified during my �me in Paris, especially when ascending the stairs of the Sacre Coeur and witnessing those immense, warmly lit windows seemingly within arm's reach. Furthermore, the Venice Beach (CA) houses felt like a cap�va�ng display of fancy interiors and people openly living their lives behind them.

Addi�onally, I have a strong admira�on for the patchwork of Yerevan's façades, transformed by its residents in accordance with their tastes and means.

In this par�cular pain�ng, these two passions converged and intersected with a third significant element – my aspira�ons for all conflicts to be resolved through love, or in this case, through the act of making love, reminiscent of the Bonobos' unique approach.

I chose to paint an exis�ng building that appears commonplace and familiar for the inhabitants of my town. Within this pain�ng, I've portrayed beau�ful moments of lovemaking, some overtly visible and others concealed deep within the apartments, encouraging viewers to engage in their own interpreta�ons.

This artwork holds great personal significance for me, which is why in 2022 I organized an official unveiling of it at the House-museum of Aram Khachaturian, my favorite composer. Subsequently, it was displayed at the Zangak gallery in Yerevan for a month, and now it resides in my studio.

Make Love not War Series

MAKE LOVE NOT WAR � POLYPTYCH Acrylics on canvas 140 x 190 cm, or 8* (70 x 47 cm) 2023 Many of the buildings from the former Soviet Union were constructed using prefabricated blocks of repe��ve elements, and this par�cular condominium is no excep�on, made from reinforced concrete panels.

In Armenia, people o�en use whatever materials are readily available to remodel or expand their condo apartments, taking advantage of a rela�vely lax enforcement of urban codes. As a result, the facades of these buildings, which are inherently divided by the grid of prefab panels, evolve into a picturesque patchwork that showcases the individual owners' tastes and financial capabili�es.

To emphasize this concept of divisions and patches, I decided to create my canvas from smaller pieces. The artwork is composed of eight separate panels, allowing the owner of the pain�ng to rearrange them at will, giving the pain�ng a slightly different appearance from �me to �me.

Make Love not War Series

Vernacular Watercolor Series I believe that old, layered vernacular architecture of the hidden corners of the city is more about the people than about the buildings. This is my way of exploring people. To truly understand, one must venture into the hidden corners, the backyards, and observe the daily life, the way each family has personalized their part of the condominium and the part of the land in front of their appartment. Witness how the elderly engage in spirited backgammon matches while children play amidst the illegally constructed garages. Explore the various ways in which each housewife chooses to hang laundry on lines crisscrossing the yard. This is the reality we inhabit, a genuine depic�on of our lives.

These pain�ngs are my journey into the lifestyle and world of the individuals inhabi�ng those semi-decayed structures, allowing you to perceive a more genuine representa�on of reality.

Vernacular Watercolor Series Watercolor on paper, A4 - A1 2023

Vernacular Watercolor Series Watercolor on paper, A3 - A2 2023

Monochrome Imaginary & Real Landscapes & Objects

I also have a deep passion for ink and monochrome pain�ng. Every now and then, I enjoy narrowing down my focus to tones and limi�ng my use of color. I'm par�cularly fond of the unpredictable way ink flows in water.

There are �mes when I simply drop ink onto wet paper, and it's only then, based on what I see, that I decide what the artwork will become. It's a deligh�ul process.

In fact, I find that many things I cherish in life revolve around the idea of having fun. During one of my exhibi�ons, some strangers who visited men�oned that they somehow felt my sense of humor in my pain�ngs.

That comment remains one of the most pleasing compliments I've received.

ON THE ROAD BACK HOME Ink and water on paper, 19 x 33 cm 2020

NOT ALONE Ink and watercolor on paper 21 x 19 cm 2021

UPPER COMITAS Ink and water on cardboard, 30 x 20 cm 2023

YEREVAN SKETCHES Acrylics on canvas, 80 x 180 cm 2024

Now and then it occurs to me to do only abstract art.

But then I look around, I see the countless wonders that light weaves with the objects. I'm cap�vated by the shapes, the radiance, the reflec�ons, and the myriad nuances of tones and shadows.

And I say - Oh no, who am I to disregard this enchan�ng magic?

Semi-abstract and imaginary ENCHANTED FOREST Ink, acrylics on glossy paper, 100 x 170 cm 2022

California and my other loves On this page, I've gathered some of the individual, unclassified pain�ngs that hold a special place in my heart.

Let it Roll. Watercolor on paper. 20 x 25cm. 2021

Armenian Mountains. Watercolor on paper. 50 x 60 cm. 2021

The Bonfire. Acrylics on canvas. 70 x 90 cm. 2020

Night at the Ocean. Ink and watercolor on paper. 28 x 50 cm

m. 2021

Flamboyant. Watercolor on paper. 50 x 80 cm. 2020

Sunset Sonata. Watercolor on paper. 28 x 50 cm. 2021

Faces THE SLEEPING Acrylics on fabric, 60 x 60 cm 2023

WATERCOLOR PORTRAITS Watercolor on paper 15 x 15 cm, 2021

THOSE WHO KNOW HOW TO LIVE Watercolor on paper 30 x 40 cm, 2021

Hun�ng of the Armeniark. Watercolor on paper. 60 x 80 cm. 2021

My Flowers Watercolor on paper, 30x30, 30x42, 20x30cm 2020-2023

My Childhood To conclude this lengthy journey, I'd like to share an oil pain�ng that I ini�ated when I was five or six years old and revisited in 2020. It was on April 24, a day of remembrance for the vic�ms of the Armenian Genocide when, at 9 pm, it was customary to turn off all the lights and light a candle. Every window displayed a candle. On that evening, I took the pain�ng and posi�oned myself at my working desk by the window (as I've previously men�oned, my passion for windows). I began to paint candlelights in each window of the houses I had painted as a child.

Upon comple�ng it, a few weeks later, an ex-colleague of mine expressed her desire to purchase the pain�ng. I sold it, and that's when I had the realiza�on that I could sustain my livelihood as an ar�st, engage in what I truly love, and lead a happy life.

This is my current reality, and I believe it serves as a fi�ng conclusion to my por�olio.