Long time Chelmsford resident, internationally known artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, is exhibiting his Peace of Art drawings, and paintings from his Celebration Series at the Chelmsford Library located at 25 Boston Road. The exhibit will be available to the public during regular library hours. An open reception is scheduled for Saturday, August 21st, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The art work will be complemented by live classic music and refreshments.

Twenty-five years ago Varoujan came to Massachusetts from Soviet Armenia. A Ph.D. candidate at the prestigious Yerevan Fine Arts and Drama Institute, he found the freedom of expression in the United States exhilarating. His long journey brought him to Chelmsford when he was commissioned to paint 46 murals for Saints Vartanantz Church, located at 180 Old Westford Road. Since then, he has lived and raised a family here. Although he has painted many religious and corporate murals in Massachusetts and in the United States, and his Romantic Expressionist paintings have been shown in galleries from New England to Florida, Chelmsford is the town where he sat his roots, and it was here that he created Peace of Art.

Peace of Art is a global traveling art exhibit addressing universal human concerns. Independent of political associations or religious dogma, these pieces are snap shots of our humanity, and reflect the common threads that unite us all beyond the confines of culture or ethnicity. This concept was in the back of his mind for quite some time, but in 1995 he began to draw the first compositions. Over the years he has used his art to contribute to charities and worthy causes for the betterment of society, but at a larger scale, Peace of Art is his contribution to humanity.

The Peace of Art at the Chelmsford Library is the ninth exhibit since it began its journey in September 2003 at the Armenian Library and Museum of America in Watertown, MA. The response have been overwhelmingly positive from everyone who has seen the exhibit. Among other places, Peace of Art was shown at Boston City Hall under the sponsorship of City Councilors John Tobin and Charles Yancey. "It's truly enlightening to experience artwork that is not only fabulous in its expression but that is also noteworthy in its viewpoint, which raises vital issues of global ills," said Councilor Yancey. "I believe it is important to make artwork accessible to as many people as possible," said Councilor Tobin, Chair of the City Council's Committee on Arts, Film, Humanities & Tourism. "Mr. Hejinian's series of sketches tackle some of the most important issues of our time: war, fear, intolerance, hunger, violence, and homelessness. But his artwork also communicates a message of hope. [...] The Peace of Art exhibit is especially important right now in light of current events around the world."

Each piece addresses an element of the human condition. "Peace of Heart" addresses our ambivalence and since September 11, "Alone in the City" concerns homelessness, "Peace of Music reflects the connection between two people living in unison, "Paper Dove" reminds us of our own innocense and the fragility of peace, and "Peace Drummers" restore our confidence that only peace can give us the freedom we cherish, just to mention a few. Each piece is reflection of ourselves and dares us to take a close look around. The viewer walks away feeling inspired. These drawings are in the process of metamorphosing into oil and acrylic paintings on canvas.

Daniel Varoujan Hejinian is a multifaceted artist who is not restricted by one form of expression. He creates his art at night, while everyone sleeps. Here, there's an angel serenading the night ("Serenade"), and a "Dream Weaver" weaving our dreams. The pieces from the Celebration series, exhibited at the Chelmsford Library, are full of music and flowers with people talking, and dancing. The colors explode from within the frames and we seem to hear music and sounds of people laughing in the crowd. There's romance and positive images of ourselves. He dares to dream that world where we want to escape into, pieces of our own dreams and successes, echoes of laughter and joy, colors like the bursting of ripe summer fruits and exotic places within ourselves. To view other art work by Daniel Varoujan Hejinian, please log onto www.CollectorsPalette.com.

"Peace of art exhibit effectively demonstrates the timeless struggles of the human race in a brilliant visual depiction. Bold stokes [...] bring you into the emotional aspects of the artwork. I enjoyed the 'roller coaster ride' of feelings viewing the exhibit and saw something new in the subtle re-arrangement of pieces." Said Lisa Moorehead.

Patrick Pierce, a Lowell-based artist, said that the art work is classic in the sense that "it is directly related to the high concept of art in the European tradition. He makes a great effort in the belief that art matters as a path to evoke and overcome the challenges of life. For example, the musician in 'Crucifixion of the Musician' attains victory over life though music, but he's worn out by his effort." Pierce further states that Varoujan works from "a romantic vision that lets him talk directly about inner states and the triumphs of perception." In Varoujan's art, "there's a passion and sincerity in what he does. There's no cool detachment, no irony. He deals in the grand romantic manner with life and the victories of affirmation possible through the practice of art. In this he stands apart from much of the contemporary art stream."

"Varoujan's method, technique and skill of portraying each piece so vividly and descriptively are what make this project so unique. Each piece captures a sense of identity and story telling," said Sabine Chouljian of the Armenian Library and Museum of America.

City Councilor John Tobin, who, along with Councilor Charles Yancey co-sponsored Peace of Art at the Boston City Hall in May-June 2004, said that Varoujan's artwork "communicates a message of hope. It says if we all pull together, we can solve problems and achieve peace. The Peace of Art exhibit is especially important right now in light of current events around the world. The arts bring diverse groups of people together to express themselves in interesting and creative ways. It is my hope that Peace of Art will bring people together and inspire them."

"I hope that people who see Hejinian's work will walk away with an enhanced desire to improve the quality of life for all," said Councilor Yancey.

Peace of Art also has been exhibited at the Driscoll Gallery at Brockton Library; Doric Hall at the State House, sponsored by State Representative David Nangle, of Lowell; Gallery Z in Providence, RI; Stoneham Library; and Grand Concourse South Station Building in Boston. Please send comments to contact@PeaceofArt.org. For more information, go to www.PeaceofArt.org or call 508-580-3151.