DUAL WILLS LEAVES ARTIST'S WISHES MYSTERY.

Byline: Felicia Cousart Scripps-McClatchy Western Service

In death, Fresno artist Varaz Samuelian has woven a mystery that may be as hard to sort out as some of his more abstract paintings.

When the Armenian-born sculptor and painter died in November at age 78, he left behind an estate estimated at between $2 million and $3 million, made up mostly of property and hundreds of pieces of art.

The estate includes the boldly colorful Varaz Modern Art Museum next to Fresno Community Hospital downtown.

But Samuelian also may have left behind two wills with conflicting directions on what is to become of his art.

Carol Gonella, a Samuelian niece who is a divorce lawyer in Burlingame, contends that the real will is the one her uncle signed Aug. 18, 1991. It is a one-page document, written in English, that names Gonella as the executor.

But longtime Samuelian friend Jack Kalfayan of San Mateo has produced a copy of another will signed by the artist and dated Aug. 10, 1995. It covers several pages and is written in Armenian. It names Gonella as co-executor with Kalfayan.

``It's very dramatic,'' said Edward Marouk, a Fresno lawyer representing Kalfayan. ``You have a colorful sculptor, in my opinion a very good artist and you've got this mystery of the lost will.''

A trial to settle the dispute - and ultimately the fate of the estate - is scheduled to start July 8 in Fresno County Superior Court.

Gonella, 59, said her uncle had told her many times that he wanted his work to grow in stature after he was gone, that he wanted it to be exhibited worldwide.

``He told me to see that his art becomes great.''

The 1991 will ``left that up to me on how I would do it,'' she said.

That will reads that Gonell has power of appointment ``over all my assets, to distribute them as she sees fit, even to include herself.''

But Kalfayan said Samuelian's wishes changed. The 1995 will says the artist wanted all his paintings to be sent to his beloved Armenia - to Yerevan, where he was born Varazdat Samuel Samuelian, and to Leninakan. He also wanted money sent to Leninakan to build and renovate the Gumrie Varaz Museum.

``He thought by returning back to his origins, this would give him international renown,'' Kalfayan said.

The 1995 will also designates how much money should be given to relatives and how many paintings should be given to several friends.

Samuelian and his wife, Ann, had no children. Ann died in 1993.

The actual 1995 will has not been found. Kalfayan only has a copy but said Samuelian showed him the actual one shortly after it was written.

Kalfayan, who reads and writes Armenian, said he and his friend read over the document. He said Samuelian then tucked the actual will into a sketchbook and gave Kalfayan the copy.

But Gonella is not convinced.

``I have no doubt the document is an aberration,'' Gonella said.