Hand-Painted Papier Mache Ornament of Travelling Zeppelin 'Aerial Voyages' Item ID: 2669935484

"I am Rima Petrosyan. I am a painter and a graduate of the Yerevan State Academy of Fine Arts, where I earned a master's degree in painting. Arts and crafts have always been a part of my life. I enjoy surrounding myself with beautiful and eye-catching things that inspire and bring me joy. I have been painting since I was five years old and have participated in various painting groups. Additionally, I have always had a fondness for handicrafts. From a young age, I would create handmade items, sometimes staying up all night to work on them.

"In 2018, I began making Christmas toys. Prior to that, I created various handicrafts, such as chests made of pebbles, leather, and wood, which I still continue to make alongside the toys. The holiday season has always held a sense of magic and wonder for me, and I believed that the Christmas tree should reflect my mood. I aimed to decorate it with magical, dreamy, sometimes funny, and highly emotional toys that would be passed down through generations, carrying memories and spreading positive energy.

"I decided to use the papier-mâché technique, which has a long history. The first Christmas tree toys were made from papier-mâché. This material is flexible and allows me to bring my ideas to life. I made some adjustments to the technique, adapting it to my own style of work. I conducted research, studied, and experimented extensively until I achieved the desired outcome. Thus, my characters were born one after another, drawing inspiration from my surroundings, emotions, and the people around me.

"Over time, these toys have evolved from being merely Christmas decorations to becoming a part of interior décor, complementing the atmosphere of homes. Each character I create is sketched in advance, with attention given to details and color schemes. To date, I have created more than two thousand characters, some of which I recreate periodically. My toys adorn Christmas trees and homes across different parts of the world."