Mark Shtalman
Mark Shtalman was born in Russia in 1965. He expressed an interest in art from a very early age and as a child and adult, spent all his spare time in the Russian Museum and the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (then called Leningrad), looking at and doing studies after the Old Masters.

Shtalman attended the Leningrad Fine Art School for gifted children and later the High College of Applied Art. He also took classes at the famous Leningrad Academy of Art. During this time the colors of his favorite Russian artist, Rafael Falk, made a strong and lasting impression on him. He was also influenced by the artists of the Russian avant garde of the early 20th century, especially Filanov, Larionov and Goncharova.

During his time in Soviet Russia, students of the Soviet art schools were sworn to be loyal to the traditions of Socialist Realism - the official style approved by the Communist regime. Working in a more contemporary style would result in losing the privilege to study art and being expelled. Shtalman was only able to pursue his interest in painting in a more contemporary style in the last ten years, since the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

Mark Shtalman now lives and works in Israel. His work is included in numerous private and corporate collections in Russia, Israel, Germany, South Africa, Spain, Canada and the United States.