If you truly feel that you cannot stop creating, then keep going.

An artist’s world often begins where words end.

Mark Jerar’s creative world is built on simplicity, inner freedom, and minimalism.

Every artist’s journey has a beginning. How did your journey into art begin? When did you realize that painting was more than just an interest?

Art has always been a part of my life. I realized very early on that painting was not simply an interest for me, but the most sincere form of self-expression.

I remember one of the cold winters of the 1990s. Yerevan had experienced an unusually heavy snowfall, the kind of snow that seemed to happen only in those years. By chance, I found an old, almost dried-out box of watercolors and started painting on the snow. At that very moment, I felt that painting could exist not only in the mind.

Who or what was the greatest influence in helping shape you as an artist?

I had wonderful teachers along the way. However, I cannot say that I had a particular source of inspiration. I paint because I want to bring to life the images that are born in my mind.

Your works have a very distinctive artistic signature. How did this style develop? Was it the result of a conscious search, or did it emerge naturally over time?

It comes from my nature. I have always been a minimalist, and raw minimalism allows me to express my thoughts in the simplest and purest way possible.

I did not consciously create my style for any particular purpose. It developed naturally over time as a reflection of the way I think.

When you begin a new work, do you already know what you want to convey, or does the idea emerge during the process?

The image has already been born in my mind. I simply transfer it onto the canvas. Of course, it can change during the process and take on a new form.

But what is interesting is that if I move too far away from the original image, it remains in my mind until one day I paint it again, closer to its original form.

Can art change the way a person thinks, or does it simply make us pause and reflect for a moment?

I do not see art as something that merely exists alongside our lives. For me, art is a fundamental part of human nature. It is a language through which higher forms of consciousness communicate—a language that has no direct translation and is difficult to describe.

It is precisely this inexplicable ability that distinguishes us from other beings.

Which book, film, or piece of music has had the greatest influence on your way of thinking?

I love late Baroque music, I watch films from the mid-20th century, and I read the works of ancient and modern philosophers. But I cannot say that any of them has shaped my way of thinking.

My inner world is a much stronger source of expression, and my works are born from that inner world.

If your works could speak, what would be the first thing they would say to people?

I would like to see someone transform a work of art into another form while preserving its original meaning. Any such attempt would either create another, independent work of art, or diminish both forms by depriving them of their individual identities.

Therefore, this question cannot really be answered.

Is art, for you, more of an inner monologue or a dialogue with the world?

First and foremost, I paint for myself. If a work later becomes a dialogue with the world, that happens because of the viewer, not because of my intention.

What is the most memorable thing you have heard about your work?

One of the most memorable comments was that it is possible to convey such subtle emotions with so few brushstrokes.

What advice would you give to young people who are just beginning their journey in art and still doubt their abilities?

I would not give advice. Every artist has to find their own path.

The only thing I can say is: if you truly feel that you cannot stop creating, then keep going.

Does success and recognition change an artist, or does it simply reveal their true character?

Whatever I say would only be speculation.

If you could summarize your entire creative journey in one sentence, what would it be?

Raw minimalism.

Have you ever wondered what your life would have been like if you had not become a painter? In what field would you have sought another form of self-expression?

If painting did not exist, the same need for expression would simply seek another form. The form might change, but the reason would remain the same.