Next 2 You Mural

When Rima (my friend, Arbitrary Ink founder, awesome artist, Armenian) asked me to go to Armenia, I was skeptical. Me? In Armenia? Why? How? We had been invited to paint a mural for a children's rehabilitation center in Vahagni, Armenia.

Despite the blazing heat, then torrential storms, language barrier, invisible bugs, and more than one spilled paint bucket (in the most inconvenient places...), we managed to pull this mural off in 10 days. Inspired by Armenian rugs and dragons, Rima designed the mural, and I consulted on the design. Then, Rima, my partner Alvin, a rag-tag bunch of teenagers (shoutout Tigran), local artists Artuj and others, new-mother stray dog Chalo and I all painted the mural together. (Although sometimes, the teenagers hindered more than help.)

I learned so much about Armenia and painting murals! By the way, "vartaguin" in Armenian means pink.