Vi Garman
Vi Garman has been awarded April 2005 Artist of the Month by the Branch County Art Guild. Garman has been a member of the guild for 42 years, and has served in the offices of President, Vice-president, and Secretary for the guild.
Garman studied in school from teacher Mrs. Carpenter, also from artists Marie Hempker, Kathy Reddy, William Allexander, Helen Van Wyk and others. "I love to watch others paint." Vi states. "I do most of my paintings from memory and I've been painting for a very long time, over 40 years. Sounds like a long time, but I had a day care for 37 years and I would help the children do watercolors for the 4H fair. My youngest exhibitor was two years, and she won a best of show ribbon."
Vi Garman considers her husband, Dennis, and her artistic children to be her greatest supporters. Vi enjoys using watercolors, acrylics, or oils, depending on her mood, and likes to paint portraits and florals. She has won awards for some of her paintings, and is presently the designer of the Museum Gallery in Coldwater. Working part-time, she now has time to delve into her love of creating artwork. Vi Garman painted Princess Di, a watercolor about 24x36" which is on display at the Museum Gallery. Vi used 6 pictures to study the Princess for her unique and beautiful look.
Garman states, "Painting is something a person can get lost into while creating and forget there is a world out there. For me it is simply pure pleasure." Vi Garman painted the paintings of Ben Franklin and Abe Lincoln for the Coldwater schools.
"The Branch County Art Guild is a very caring group of people who help in any way they can. They encourage people to be the best they can be. You can ask any of them questions about painting and they are very helpful. I have learned a lot from the members and the instructors that have been brought in to demonstrate their style of painting."
