Saints Valley: Interview with Lilit Ghazaryan
Walking into Lilit Ghazaryan’s store, Saints Valley, guests are welcomed by the vibrant colors and rich cashmere of her art. Lilit Ghazaryan is an artist and entrepreneur originally from Armenia. She has started her own business in Rockville, MD which focuses on the empowerment of women through her fabrics, clothing, and jewelry.
Sophia Brokenshire: Tell me a little bit about yourself and the origins of Saints Valley.
Lilit Ghazaryan: My name is Lilit Ghazaryan, and I came to this country as a high school exchange student through a State Department Program called Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX). I studied journalism, communications, international development, and public policy at Georgetown. I went to India for my graduate thesis. When I discovered the Kashmir region in India, I opened my NGO, called Across Borders. We concentrated on sanitation and irrigation in the rural areas of Kashmir, India.
As I lived in Kashmir, I was exposed to the beautiful handicrafts culture of the region. I was very interested in learning more because it connected with my Armenian cultural traditions of embroidery and crewel work. When I returned to the U.S., I had this idea of creating a business that would benefit and empower women in developing countries. I wanted to do this through appreciating their talent and workforce. I first made my designs and then gave them the opportunity of fair trade wages, and slowly developed Saints Valley into what we are today.
The reason I called my company Saints Valley was because when I was in Kashmir, there were so many spiritual people in that region. I thought Kashmir Valley could be Saints Valley. For the logo, I thought a peacock represented both of our cultures, Kashmiri and Armenian, as a symbol of an ancient bird. Once I started my designs, I began working with fabrics such as pashmina, which comes from the beards of local goats located in Kashmir Valley as well as cashmere, which also originated from Kashmir Valley. Eventually, I introduced my favorite modern and postmodern artists such as Juan Miro, Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky into my work. Women in Kashmir started making wall hangings and carpets based on my designs. In 2019, the Montgomery County Women’s Business Center launched an incubator program called Shop Local. I was invited to be part of that initiative. In April of 2021, I opened my “Saints Valley” store in Rockville, MD, and we’ve been expanding our design varieties ever since.
SB: How does where you're from affect your work?
LG: Being an Armenian, of course, I appreciate the handicrafts because Armenia has 5,000 years of rich history of art, architecture, and handicrafts. Eventually, the other branch of Saints Valley became focused on my jewelry designs. I work with Armenian women and recently went to Armenia for two months working on my new jewelry line. At a young age, my culture instilled in me the appreciation of handicrafts, creativity, and a proper work ethic in general.
SB: Through bright colors and the use of cashmere and silk, you have created your own signature style. What inspires your work?
LG: Just the idea of creating beautiful things to share with the world. We empower women in developing countries through their work; we bring their beautiful products to the West and it is actually women here who wear these pieces. So, we hope to shed light into their world as well. It’s a big circle. There’s this seed of work and creativity in one part of the planet and then it comes around and gets to another place where their work is appreciated. It’s a homecoming of art, beauty, and creativity.
SB: What is your process of bringing your art to life?
LG: Let’s take the jewelry first. I start by looking at the gemstone or I have something in my mind that I imagine and I think “Okay, well this stone will go with this stone, and we can combine this pattern to this.” I put it all together in my mind and then on paper. Then I send the design to the group and tell them that this is what I have envisioned, and ask, if we can please make it happen? It’s really the same process with the fabrics. My next project will hopefully be a clothing line where I can incorporate embroidery techniques and symbolism from Armenian culture. It will be modern clothing with an element of history.
SB: How has your style changed over time?
LG: I use bright colors to make others feel happy and inspired. I may start a pastel collection with more earthy tones, we’ll see. It all depends on so many aspects. It could depend on weather, it can depend on a phase of your life that you go through, or a story that you hear. We are constantly evolving with new ideas and I want to celebrate that with my art.
SB: As an artist, what do you wish to convey through your art?
LG: Happiness. Appreciation of beauty. Willingness to continuously create. We are human beings. And if we continue to create what’s in our minds and hearts, we send the message of livelihood. You continue to live, but you live with purpose because you create something that gives you energy, direction and growth. Never give up on your creativity and dreams, no matter what you choose to study in the beginning. We are evolving beings and the more knowledge we gain, different paths open in front of us. I think as long as we keep creating what is inside us, we can have experiences that still come together through creativity and love.