Ceramics | Talinesart: where birds speak, patterns spiral, and colors kiss

We've all done it, right? The moment we arrive in a city as a tourist, we've searched for the old town on Google Maps and marched into a maze of cobbled streets for some historic sightseeing, only to stray into souvenir shops and look for gems among trinkets.

Taline Papazian submitted her works to h-pem while the website was in the making. We reached out to her with a few questions which she gladly answered.

Some of us always know what we are after: artifacts that put a twist to the industrial look of mass-market products; anything niche, that captures the colors, shapes, and spirit of the place and bears the distinctive style of an artist or a craftsman. Even the occasional imperfection amuses us.

What if we stumble upon a website in cyberspace and find ourselves in a corner of hand-painted ceramic and terracotta shelves that create the feel of a magic stall in the heart of a fabled city?

Talinesart is nothing short of a charming boutique down a virtual alley. Stacked with vases, flower pots, plates, lanterns, crosses, bowls and boxes, it oozes flavors of traditional and abstract patterns. Picked with an eye for design and illustration, stylized clay ornaments are morphed into fashion items of everyday use, dominant motifs being Armenian bird-shaped letters.  

It is the vibrant color combination and the joyous acrylic brushwork that imbue Taline’s world with a festive atmosphere. The ever meticulous and intricate stroke delights the eye, prompting to make a choice with no regrets.

Take a break and scroll through Taline’s submissions before you find out more about her creative passion.

Loucig Guloyan-Srabian:  Are you inspired by other artists’ works? What is your inspiration?

Taline Papazian: I am inspired by paintings or drawings, a book cover or a picture, by anything that catches my eye and motivates me to create. I don’t like to imitate, I prefer to create my own. I explore different types of artwork in books and on the Internet. I use my imagination and think of mixing different approaches, using a small part of one genre and adding my own.

L.G.S.: Why Armenian calligraphy? What are your favorite samples?

Armenian calligraphy, a source of inspiration

T.P.: I am inspired by the evocative power of Armenian art and calligraphy adding my own touch as I go along. There are different styles of Armenian calligraphy and Seeroon Yeretzian's style has been so far my preferred set.

L.G.S.: Have you taken art lessons?

T.P.: I made this incredible discovery when I turned 40. Apart from my art lessons in primary school I had never thought of painting or drawing. I have not taken any lessons. However, I have read about painting on ceramic and the rest has come with experience.

L.G.S.: In the current technological era why do you think people will want to have a handmade work of art?

T.P.: I know that in the present industrialized era full of technological novelties, handmade art might not be the first choice for people to buy as a gift or for themselves. However, I am convinced that it talks to the romantic heart, to the dormant artist, to the hidden desire to express oneself. In this automated society, handmade art is like a corner full of love, beauty and creativity. The feeling of looking at or holding a handmade creation is like a kaleidoscope of colors, sparks and imagination triggered by the artist’s work.

L.G.S.:  Do you look for specific items to paint? Does the shape of the items restrict you in your drawings or you follow your heart?

TP: I love to work on surfaces where I am not limited by space. Therefore, I choose items that I love and that enable me to spread my wings. Usually, I decide what I want to paint or draw and then I follow my inspiration and the boundaries set by the item itself.