Since I was a young boy, I spent majority of my time in my father’s workshop. I was fascinated by marble, granite, tufa, wood and many various tools that my father used to create sculptures. This seemed like a magic to me. And now, I get to capture magic within beautiful mediums of sculpture.
—Vahe Tokmajyan
Vahe Tokmajyan is an internationally known sculptor who calls Calgary home.
He has over 30 years of experience in professional sculpture with an extensive portfolio of outdoor sculptures installed in many countries of the world. His studio size artworks are shown in museums, galleries and private collections. Vahe has incorporated his experience as a practicing artist into his teaching approach. With an MFA specializing in Drawing and Sculpture, Vahe has a broad experience in adult teaching with the focus on hands on practice.
—Awards and Grants
He is a recipient of the Art and Culture Award at the 2007 Calgary Immigrants of Distinction Award. In 2012, Vahe received a project grant from The Calgary 2012 Cultural Capital of Canada for his sculpture “The Law of Attraction”, which became a finalist at the National Sculpture competition in Kingsbrae garden, New Brunswick. Vahe is a recipient of Alberta foundation for the Arts Cultural Relations project grants and CADA micro-grant. Vahe has been invited to numerous international art events to create full size sculptures of his selected artwork.
—International Sculpture Symposiums
Vahe has been representing Canada internationally since 2008: in China he created a sculpture “The first step” at the International symposium in Shenzhen. Later, in 2010 he received a Public Choice Award at the Chaco International Sculpture Biennial in Argentina. In September of 2014 Vahe came back from Brazil where he created a sculpture “The Tenth Station of the Cross ”at the International Sculpture festival in Brazil. In 2017 Vahe represented Canada in La Bresse International Sculpture Symposium, France and in Sonderborg, International Sculpture Symposium, Denmark where he created his sculptural composition “Jazz” that is currently installed in Skovby. In 2022, Vahe was chosen by the international jury to create a sculpture “ A Drink or Two” in Austria, at the International Sculpture event “Art on the Mountains”.
—in Canada
Vahe created several statues in Alberta, Canada. In 2010 he donated his time and talent to create the statue of Virgin Mary (The Lady of Our Grace) in White Cararra marble for the St Albert the Great Catholic parish in Calgary. His statue Water Nymph is now installed near the Okotoks Public library.
Recently Vahe completed and installed a Public Art project Dance on the International Avenue in Calgary. This mixed media sculpture is created in cement and completed with stained glass mosaic.