VALENTIN KASHTELYAN

Art Statement

My artistic practice is rooted in close observation and analysis of visual experience. Having spent many years working in medicine as an MD and psychoneurologist, I developed a deep interest in perception, attention, and the ways we interpret reality. This way of thinking naturally carried over into my art, where looking, analyzing, and sensing are central acts.

I work primarily with watercolor, a medium that I have devoted myself to in recent years and intend to pursue for the rest of my artistic life. Watercolor attracts me for its transparency, unpredictability, and sensitivity to touch. It requires concentration, restraint, and trust in the process—qualities that resonate strongly with my way of thinking and seeing. The interaction of color, water, and paper allows me to explore subtle shifts of mood, light, and form.

Although I have worked extensively with oil and acrylic and value the unique qualities of each medium, watercolor has become my main language. Through it, I explore the interplay of colors, the structure of visual impressions, and the balance between control and spontaneity. I am interested not in copying reality, but in understanding how it is perceived and transformed through the act of painting.

My artistic development has been shaped by formal study at Pima Community College, the Desert Museum Art Institute, and especially by the Artefacto School, whose mastery-based approach and teaching philosophy have had a lasting influence on my work. Participation in exhibitions, both locally in Tucson and internationally, as well as selection for Artefacto's final exhibition, has reinforced my commitment to continued growth and exploration.

Painting, for me, is a lifelong practice of seeing—an ongoing dialogue between observation, emotion, and the material presence of color and water.

Valentin Kashtelyan Short Artist Biography

Valentin began painting fifteen years ago. Before fully devoting himself to art, he worked in the field of medicine as a physician and psychoneurologist, drawing only sporadically during that time.

Now, at the age of 75, he continues to paint with deep enthusiasm, driven by a love of drawing, careful analysis of visual impressions, and the subtle interplay of color. Over the past four years, he has focused primarily on watercolor and feels a lasting connection to this medium, which he intends to pursue for the rest of his artistic life.

Valentin has studied drawing and painting at Pima Community College (Arizona), the Desert Museum Art Institute, and Artefacto Online School. He has worked extensively with oil, acrylic, and watercolor, appreciating the unique qualities and nuances of each medium. For the past two years, he has been part of the Artefacto School, whose teaching philosophy and artistic approach have strongly influenced his development. He considers Artefacto’s programs to be among the most rigorous and meaningful in his artistic journey.

He has participated in numerous exhibitions in Tucson, Arizona, as well as internationally. While studying with Artefacto, he was invited to take part in the school’s final online exhibition—an important recognition within a global community of artists. In 2024, Valentin presented a solo exhibition at the Overlook Community Center in Tucson, Arizona.