ABSTRACT
Of all the difficulties in Mary Zakarian's life and career—emotional maladjustment resulting from her parents' experiences, inability/unwillingness to form relationships, stifling cultural expectations, and real/imagined health challenges—she faced a problem all artists of her time faced. At a luncheon at St. Gregory's celebrating the ordination of a deacon and acolytes in January, 1995, Zakarian presented the first print of her painting to the Armenian Archbishop, His Eminence Mesrop Ashjian, who was involved in the Karabakh relief efforts to an extraordinary degree. In her remarks that day in 1995, Mary thanked the Archbishop for his support and explained the meaning of her Artsakh painting. Zakarian's art is moving precisely because of its uncompromising qualities, its refusal to diverge from that vision of celebrating what is best in people and what survives against the odds. She portrayed a virtual rainbow of humanity: heroes in battle such as the Artsakh soldiers, heroes of courage like the Face of Freedom immigrant.
