BIO
Anoush Bargamian is a contemporary artist, master art educator, and designer whose tactile, multi-layered practice explores texture, material gravity, and form. She holds a Master of Fine Arts from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Fine Arts degrees from the Massachusetts College of Art and the University of Illinois Chicago.
Having taught art extensively within both private and public sectors, Bargamian brings a deeply rooted academic background to her studio practice. She selectively fosters community engagement through elite master workshops, and notably co-taught a specialized, traditional Japanese Gyotaku printmaking workshop at A.I.R. Studio and Gallery alongside her son—fellow SAIC alumnus and A.I.R. member—Aris Buechele.
Her studio practice is further informed by her residency with the international Pollinator cohort, where she utilized collaborative peer models to deepen her material experimentation. A prominent milestone in her career includes her October 2026 Solo Exhibition at A.I.R. Studio and Gallery in Glencoe.
STATEMENT
What draws me in and gives me pause—both in the natural world and in the landscapes I dream about or remember—is the raw, rough, and sublime. From these outer and inner environments emerge works that are at once provocative, beautiful, and, at times, terrifying.
The ongoing series Pajama Party is intentionally uplifting and playful, evoking a lighthearted moment of girlhood and youth. While much of my other work explores darker, more complex themes, this series offers the freedom to experiment with bright color and a sense of joy. I hold the deep belief that even in shadowed times, we must remember—and create—joy whenever possible.
The works presented here are created primarily with encaustic and beeswax—materials that invite rich texture, translucence, and depth. Through the continuous layering, scraping, and fusing of wax, I explore transformation, impermanence, and the delicate tension between what is revealed and what remains hidden.