The Art Studio, or simply T.A.S. Gallery, will celebrate the artwork of local adult artists at its grand opening on Sunday, February 18, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Do you draw, sketch, paint, scribble, doodle? If not, do you secretly long to express the innermost thrashings of your psyche and soul on canvas or paper or even on your garden wall? News flash: making visual art is good for your brain. Science affirms that drawing and painting keep your neurons energized and your synaptic connections fired up. Writing cursive, or longhand with a pen or pencil has a similar beneficial effect. Note that typing and creating visual art on a computer does not impact the brain in the same way. When you’re past the age of 40 or so, making visual art may literally keep your brain young!
Take inspiration from Moses “Mosig” Dermovsesian, a local artist who founded The Art Studio in 2002, and who will introduce his new gallery space, T.A.S. Gallery, as a free community event on Sunday, February 18, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM, with an exhibition of work from the Studio’s adult students.
Pasadena art lovers and art students already know The Art Studio for its year-round fine arts programming of drawing, painting and pastel classes and art lessons for kids and grownups. Mosig directs the adult program at the Studio, while his daughter Talitha, also an accomplished artist, instructs children. The upcoming event will be the first time that the public can experience the newly created gallery space, and most of the art on display that evening will be for sale.
Art as a healing force
Talitha Dermovsesian, the Studio’s newest instructor, began her career as an artist at The Art Studio at age three, and now, two degrees and many academic accolades later, she shares her love of drawing and painting with the next generation.
She says, “We have been blessed with the ability to watch generations of children grow into young adults and offer classes for children, teens, and adults, with classes available to children as young as four years old. We also help those interested in going to school for art create portfolios and offer a safe space and creative atmosphere for all ages to express themselves through art. Our students are not simply our students, but they are family. We hope to see both new and familiar faces at the opening event and look forward to spreading both joy and inspiration across the community of Pasadena!”
Families are welcome to bring their children to meet the artists and experience the creative gallery setting first-hand.
Talitha’s father, Mosig, like his gifted daughter, began the life of an artist as a child in his native Lebanon. The artistic lineage reaches even further back: Mosig’s father was a sculptor who worked in marble. The family fled their country during Lebanon’s civil war of the 1970s, and upon arriving in the US, Mosig recalls that not knowing English was tough, and the transition into American culture was “shocking.” His solution was to immerse himself in the music and art practices that he loved. Today, Pasadena is enriched by his family’s ongoing journey into the heart of art.
Art Re-Start
The Art Studio offers lessons in what might be termed “old school”: easel-centric visual art forms. You know— da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, Monet, Manet., Rivera, Kahlo, O’Keefe, Cassatt. Although there’s no denying the power of digital creators and the value of their art, this Studio keeps its focus on traditional fine arts techniques and materials that predate the internet by centuries.
And more about your aging brain. Dr. Girija Kamal, who serves as Assistant Dean of Drexel University’s Division of Human Development and Health Administration and Associate Professor in the Ph.D. program in Creative Arts Therapies, is identified by NPR, CNN, and The New York Times as one of the ten living scientists whose work has changed the world. Her groundbreaking work with members of the military suffering from traumatic brain injury is considered to be among the most persuasive proofs that visual self-expression repairs and enriches brain plasticity. A “plastic” brain, meaning pliant and responsive, is able to form new neural pathways that help preserve memory, accelerate learning, support cognition like problem-solving, perceive space and location accurately, and maintain body functions like balance, agility, and reflexes. This is significant news for any adult past the age of 40 who’s considering taking an art class.
So grab a brush, pencil, crayon or marker! Light refreshments will be served!
The Art Studio / TAS Gallery
3825 E Sierra Madre Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
@artstudio_pasadena
626-351-4266
