Michael & Inessa Garmash

Michael Garmash began his art career at the early age of three. When he was six, when most children are entering grade school, he was attending the Lugansk Youth Creative Center, beginning his formal education as an artist. His works were displayed at Exhibitions in the Ukraine, Russia, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. In 1987, Garmash graduated from the Lugansk State Fine Art College as valedictorian, a short 18 years after birth in the same town he grew up in. After teaching there for sometime, Garmash continued on to eventually graduate from St. Petersburg Academy of Art in 1996 as the head of his class. Michael Garmash's accomplishments were far from ordinary as is his artwork. Garmash always stood out as an over achiever and his master pieces convey his dedication to his profession.

Michael met Inessa on campus in 1990. The following day, Inessa found her portrait painted all around town, including the walls of public buildings, roads, and even her apartment staircase. She also found Michael, arrested by the police. The police did not punish him however, and some may have found it quite romantic. They continued their relationship, eventually marrying and having a baby girl together. It comes as no surprise that this unique couple find there way to each other as the similarities are endless. At only fifteen, Inessa enrolled at Lugansk Fine Art School. Like Michael, Inessa received awards and accolades such as "best undergraduate".

Today, Michael and Inessa Garmash have created paintings together all over Europe. As unique as each of their lives, the way in which they started painting together is both spontaneous and chance. Michael painted a portrait of their daughter for his art school, only to find that it had been altered. Michael and Inessa's two year old daughter had added some colorful additions, so Inessa quickly re-touched and covered them up. Michael immediately noticed the painting of his wife's gentle strokes, but submitted it as it was. He was later told that this was the best of his career. Since then, Michael and Inessa Garmash have been creating master pieces together, conveying emotion, love, romance and delicacy through their realistic portraits that look even better than pictures and more crisp than real life.

Michael and Inessa have a little trouble when it comes to supply and demand. Michael, with his life long and consistent need to perfect his creations and attention to detail, quality comes far before mass production. Though galleries and other institutions pressure Garmash to produce more art, he will not substitute quality for quantity.

The life like impressionist pieces produced by Michael and Inessa Garmash represent innocence, life, emotions and beauty along with new colors, techniques and a whimsical style. One can identify with the painting, though the portrait may not have similar physical characteristics, but creates a feeling of a time, place and circumstance, such as an innocent child, that builds a feeling a familiarity to their own situation. The glow on a child's face, the warmth of a mother's love, the casualness of a first encounter and the delicacy of a romantic interlude are so masterfully displayed in the works of Michael and Innessa Garmash.




See more of Michael & Inessa masterpiece visit Garmash Gallery.