My father, Ruben Manukyan, dedicated his life to art. Throughout his distinguished career, he illustrated countless books, magazines, and journals. During his years at Avangard Publishing, his artwork became familiar to generations of readers, appearing in many of the publications that shaped Armenian culture and literature.

Yet among all his achievements, it is his children's book illustrations that remain the most magical to me.

I grew up in a time before computers, digital art programs, and online image libraries. Creating illustrations required extraordinary skill, patience, and imagination. Artists could not rely on technology or endless sources of inspiration available today. Every character, every scene, and every detail began as an idea and came to life entirely by hand.

As a child, I was fascinated by watching my father work. He would transform blank sheets of paper into beautiful worlds filled with heroes, princesses, animals, and characters from Armenian and international fairy tales. His imagination seemed limitless. Each illustration was created with nothing more than his talent, dedication, and artistic vision.

I often went to bed wondering what new artwork would appear by morning. I could hardly wait to wake up and discover what he had painted while I was asleep. Those moments remain some of my most cherished childhood memories.

Today, I am honored to share a collection of my father's artwork with you. Many of these original illustrations have been carefully preserved in their original signed format. They represent not only the work of a remarkable artist but also an important piece of cultural and artistic history.

It is my sincere hope to preserve and share these works for future generations, so that children, artists, and readers may continue to experience the creativity, imagination, and beauty that defined Ruben Manukyan's life and art.

— Alexandra Manukyan (A Daughter's Memory)