Vi Garman
Vi Garman has been awarded April 2005 and September 2023 Artist of the Month by the Branch County Art Guild. Garman has been a member of the guild for many 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 50 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 considered her family and friends to be her greatest supporters. She likes to paint portraits, still life and florals. She has won awards for some of her paintings and was the head designer of the Museum Gallery in Coldwater. Vi Garman painted Princess Di, a large watercolor and used 6 pictures to study the Princess for her unique and beautiful look. Garman enjoys the challenge of developing a realistic portrait.
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 Ben Franklin and Abe Lincoln for the Coldwater schools.
"The Branch County Art Guild is a very caring group of people" and Vi calls the guild members "Critique specialists"..."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."
Vi's favorite subject is portraits. In the collection below is a sampling of beautiful portraits of people that have been special to her. She does art primarily in oil, acrylics, and watercolors.
