White chrysanthemums 1958

Mariam Aslamazian made this painting, White Chrysanthemums, with oil on canvas. I can imagine Aslamazian’s joy in arranging these flowers, the vase, and the trinkets on the table. The brushstrokes are like gentle whispers, layering soft lilacs and creams to build the forms. There’s a softness to the petals, almost like she’s stroking them into existence. The light feels like a caress, doesn't it? I wonder if she was thinking about other still life painters while she worked, or if she was simply lost in the pleasure of observing and recreating the beauty in front of her. I bet she was. There’s a conversation happening here, an echo of past masters filtered through Aslamazian’s unique sensibility. We are all standing on the shoulders of giants, aren't we? Painting is like that, an ongoing dialogue across time and space.