I recently read an article that posed the question – How are the arts part of your life and how have the arts inspired you to do something unique?

To me, it’s a pretty easy answer on both accounts, but it does evoke an interesting thought process. I began to think about how often art is in my life as a working musician that also has a “day job”. To that extent, it is part of my daily life and I have learned  in recent months that it doesn’t have to consume my mind all day, every day for it to be important in my life. Exposure to art (personally speaking) can be listening to music in the car on the way to and from work. Many times, it is the only time I can concentrate on what I am listening to these days. I still get excited when either a friend or artist that I admire releases a new recording. Sadly, it seems this practice is less than it once was, however the music still is abundant online for me to explore.

Art, true art, entered my life many years ago, but it wasn’t until I got older that I had respect for it. This is true. I think early on I viewed it as a toy to play with when I was bored. And like most toys, when we see a new toy, the old toy falls t the wayside. Art, in any form, shouldn’t be treated this way and it took maturity for me to realize the importance it has in my life and how well it has treated me.

In 2012, I received the Kresge Artist Fellowship award and as I have said before – it was a game changer for me. It was not only validation that I was making a contribution by performing and preserving Armenian and Middle Eastern music, this award taught me how much further I could go with my artwork. It truly opened my eyes to other potential projects and explorations. It even allowed and inspired me to make a movie which aired on television and shown nationwide. Pretty significant if you ask me.

It is clear to me that art surrounds my daily life and continues to inspire me to think differently about the music I enjoy playing. It allows me the ability to think collaboratively, which I think is unique and important for artists. We should all look for ways where art can have an impact on our daily lives, whether or not you are an artist by trade or hobby.