The Ark - 51cm

Artist and Sculptor 
Michael Vaynman

Born December 1974 to a family of artists in St Petersburg, Michael has always exhibited a strong talent in
the visual arts. Michael excelled in sculpture, printmaking, painting and drawing, enjoying the different mediums and experimenting with different techniques. Highly proficient in numerous sculpting mediums such as clay, plaster, synthetic resins and steel. However, stainless steel and bronze are his preferred materials due to their permanence and high quality.

Michael has worked as a professional artist since 2001, specialising in figurative and abstract bronze and stainless steel sculpture. He has also run sculpting workshops, since 2011, as a tutor at the prestigious private Sydney institutions such as Tom Bass Studio Sculpture School, Erskineville and Workshop Arts Centre, Willoughby.
Michael produces all his own bronzes, overseeing each process from start to finish. His skill in sculpting and associated techniques in mouldmaking and casting has led him to create a successful Mouldmaking and Art casting Studio based in the Central Coast, NSW. This studio now helps produce
unique original sculptures for over 20 Australian artists.

Artist Statement

"I create sculpture that explores notions of beauty, the Sublime and that indefinable, poetic nature of the human condition.
My interest is in the synthesis of geometries with organic forms such as the human figure. The structure ofmy work lays in the interplay of line and shape and how that relates to the entirety of the whole form. The main intention of my art is to bring quiet contemplation to the mind and involve the person in the aesthetic experience".

Exhibitions and Awards

Numerous solo and group exhibitions over the years with Maree Mizon Gallery,
House of Phillips Fine Art, Makers Mark, Galleria Aniela, Soho Gallery and Tighes Hill Gallery.

Solo/major exhibitions at:
Tighes Hill Gallery, Newcastle, 2006
House of Phillips Fine Art, Mosman, 2008
Maree Mizon Gallery, Woollahra, 2008
Soho Gallery, Woolloomooloo, 2010
Art Studios Gallery, Gosford, 2016

Highly commended - French Rendezvous Sydney 2006
The Franco Belgiorno-Nettis Transfield Holdings Prize 2008
The Sculptors Society prize for abstract sculpture 2013
Gosford Art Prize finalist 2013
Harbour Sculpture finalist 2014
Gosford Art Prize finalist 2015
Gosford Art Prize finalist 2016
Gosford Art Prize highly commended prize winner 2017
*Several of Michael's Sculptures were picked for and featured in the film Mao's Last Dancer 2009.