It
all started in the little town of Lugansk in Ukraine, 1969. An
early starter, Mr. Garmash began painting at the age of three. By
age six he started his formal education at the Lugansk Youth
Creative Center. Recognizing rare, natural talent, his teachers
sent his works to a variety of exhibitions in the then Soviet
Union.
An
award winning artist from the onset, Mr. Garmash received first
prizes at several juried exhibitions, including the Lugansk Regional
Juried Exhibition—1977 (Best Poster), the Czechoslovakian
International Youth Competition—1978, and the Hungarian
International Art Competition of Circus Related Art—1978.
After graduating, valedictorian from the Lugansk State Fine Art
College in 1987, Mr. Garmash began teaching there the following
year. From 1989 to 1991, he served in the army (when he met his
wife and partner, Inessa) and in 1992 began studying at the St.
Petersburg Academy of Art. Prior to graduating at the top of his
prestigious school’s class, Mr. Garmash exhibited in France at
galleries in cities such as Paris, St. Etienne, Avignon, Lion and
Marcel.
Mr.
Garmash also took part in the annual Exhibitions in St. Petersburg,
Russia. In addition to painting, he has also excelled in the
creation of stained-glass windows and received an honorary medal for
his work in the Suvorov Military Museum in St. Petersburg.
Ms.
Garmash, born Inessa Kitaichik in 1972 Lipetsk, Russia, has excelled
in the arts since early childhood. Proving herself in ballet,
gymnastics and music, Ms. Garmash attended classes in all three
disciplines and, after graduating from music and ballet school,
entered the Lugansk Fine Art School at age fifteen. At seventeen
she was accepted as that year's best undergraduate to the Lugansk
State Fine Art School.
Today, Mr. and Mrs. Garmash are considered two of the finest
Romantic Impressionists of our day. Their incredible talent is only
matched by their love and career stories. In similar fashion to the
determination of his artwork, Mr. Garmash courted his future wife,
after seeing her for but a moment, by painting her image all over
her hometown while she slept. She immediately recognized the
passion with which this man cared so dearly and married him shortly
thereafter.
The
Garmashs began their artistic collaboration in much the same way.
Several years after their marriage, Mr. Garmash began a painting of
their two-year old daughter, Polina, for a project at school.
However, Polina found the painting during her father’s absence and
decided to embark upon her own artistic career. Ms. Garmash, after
seeing what her daughter had done and not wanting her husband to be
upset, fixed the painting using her own training, packed it up and
gave it to him for submission. Mr. Garmash submitted the painting
for review and was praised for completing his best work ever. He
was surprised to see the "new" painting and immediately recognized
his wife's hand. They have painted together every since.
The Garmashs' work can be found at
Fine Art and Soul Gallery. Located in the heart of Valencia,
California, Fine Art and Soul displays a unique collection of
limited edition and original works of art. Whether you are a local
resident or an international client, Fine Art and Soul strives to
exceed all your expectations. Fine Art and Soul, where fine art
touches the soul.
