Armand Tatossian

Armand Tatossian

Armand Tatossian (1951 - 2012) – Artist Biography

Armand Tatossian was born in Egypt, either in 1948 or 1951, according to varying reports. He moved to Montreal with his family as a boy. Tatossian, who was of Armenian heritage, had artistic tendencies in his blood. His father, Charles Garo Tatossian, became a Canadian artist. A grandfather was an artist and a curator at the Alexandria National Museum, while an uncle was also an artist. Introduced to art at a young age, Armand Tatossian began pursuing his passion, learning from his father and seeking instruction in Canada and abroad.

In Canada, Adam Sherriff Scott was one of Armand Tatossian’s earliest teachers. But the young artist also travelled to Paris to study with Jean Carzou, took further instruction in Italy, and also studied with Serbian sculptor Jose Majzner. Later, he painted with Jean Paul Riopelle.

Armand Tatossian’s style and use of colour puts him firmly in the Quebec School of Canadian painting, but the influence of the Group of Seven can also be seen. He liked to paint plein air landscapes, using thick, aggressive brush strokes. His paintings are heavily textured and vibrantly coloured, and Armand Tatossian devoted considerable time to the study of light.

Besides his landscapes, which he is probably best known for, Armand Tatossian also painted scenes of Quebec life: kids playing hockey on frozen ponds, city life, snow-covered streets, country villages. He also painted still lifes and nudes. His landscapes with colourful foliage are particularly striking. Armand Tatossian was the youngest artist accepted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) in 1973, having already had exhibits of his paintings in Canada and abroad.

Armand Tatossian lived in Montreal, and taught at Concordia University and Loyola College. His paintings can be found in many public collections, including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the National Gallery of Canada, and Musée du Quebec. Abroad, his works are housed in public galleries in the United States, Greece, Italy and Armenia. Armand Tatossian paintings are also held by numerous private and corporate collections. The artist died in Montreal in 2012.