Lilith Ohan (born Ohannessian) is a Canadian artist who was born in Yerevan, Armenia. At that time, Armenia was a part of the Soviet Union where freedom of expression in any form was severely restricted and so, she could not freely develop her innate passion and gift for painting. Nevertheless, she found refuge in the study of biology which presented her with the means of connecting with nature’s own creativity.
At the age of 20, Lilith immigrated to Montreal where she continued her studies in biology. After receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from Sir George Williams University (presently Concordia University), she worked as a research assistant at McGill University where she used light and electron microscopes as investigative tools to observe the symbiosis of living organisms, their inexorable interrelation and vitality yet simplistic design. Initially, her art developed out of this understanding and she was greatly inspired by the organic shapes of the microscopic world as well as plant and animal forms. She then pursued her studies in the Arts and in 1986 she graduated from Concordia University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Studio Art.
In 1991 she moved with her young family to Ottawa, where she continued her scientific work as Research Assistant at the National Research Council of Canada.
Her search for self-expression with minimal elements to produce maximum content led her to Sumi-e or Japanese brush painting. Lilith started taking lessons from the noted Japanese artist/teacher Tomoko Kodama, whose breathing brush method opened a new avenue of self-expression for her.
With her Sumi-e practice, her interests moved towards Eastern philosophies, teachings and practices such as Tai Chi, Taoism and Zen Buddhism. With this new awareness, Lilith developed her own unique language of painting and drawing, combining an ancient Eastern painting style with Western sensibilities and aesthetics.
She has been giving Oriental brush painting classes and workshops since 2007.
In 2017, she launched “Zen of Calligraphy in Sumi-e Painting”, an online school, where she is teaching Sumi-e painting using Chinese/Japanese calligraphy including its meditative and technical aspects.
Education:
- Bachelor of Science degree from Sir George Williams University (presently Concordia University) (1976)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Concordia University, specializing in Studio Art under the supervision of Guido Molinari, Tom Hopkins and David Moore (1986)
- Sumi-e classes at the Ottawa School of Art under the direction of Tomoko Kodama (1998-2006)
- Workshop with Ghitta Caeserman-Roth (2002)
- Mixed Media Art courses at the Napean Visual Art Center under the direction of Suzanne Warren Powell (2002-2003)
Highlights of Artistic Career:
- She exhibited her work with the Yohaku Group at the Japanese Embassy in Ottawa, at Britannia Gallery and in Tokio, Japan.
- Her work appeared in juried shows at the Ottawa School of Art.
- She participated in some of the Ottawa Mixed Media Association’s juried shows.
- She had several solo shows of her paintings and drawings.
- She participes annually in the Ottawa Orchid Show Art Exhibitions and has won numerous awards.
- She has been frequently commissioned to do paintings for private customers.
- She has been teaching and giving Sumi-e workshops since 2007 and since 2017 she has been continuing her teaching via her online school.