Michael Milkin

Art Brokerage: Park West artist: Michael Milkin Ukrainian Artist: b. 1964. Milkin was born in Kharkov, Ukraine in 1963. He participated in several art exhibitions as a student of architecture at the Kharkiv National University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. After graduating with a Master of Architecture, Milkin worked professionally as an architect but continued to teach, paint, and participate in public exhibitions. Milkin decided to enroll in graduate school, attending the Pedagogical Institute in Kharkov to study graphics and arts. In 1994, Milkin began teaching fine art and joined the National Union of Artists of Ukraine. Many of his students would go on to become professional artists. Around this time, Milkin began exhibiting his work across Ukraine, France, and Germany. In late 2001, Milkin fully dedicated himself to his art, prompting his family to immigrate to Israel. The beautiful Israeli countryside brought fresh ideas to Milkin, moving him deeply. He met with local artists and began experimenting with new materials in his art to express his vision. Milkin concentrates on still lifes and landscapes, painting with acrylics and oils with thick, dramatic brushwork and brilliant colors. The birch tree and its cryptic symbolism have long fascinated Milkin. Among his early work, Milkin created a series of graphic works created on birch bark. Slavic folklore as well as Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian cultures attach special significance to birch, seeing it as a symbol of homeland, nature, purity, and feminine tenderness. Milkin has always found inspiration from the artwork of Impressionists such as édouard Manet, Claude Monet, and Paul Cézanne. Milkin portrays the beauty of birch trees across various seasons and, like the Impressionists, places an emphasis on light. Russian landscape artist Fyodor Vasilyev has greatly influenced Milkin as well, specifically his compositions and color palette. Listings wanted.