Galya was born in Paris, where she was introduced to art at a very early age by her father, whom she admired; this painter passed on to her his gift for drawing.

She lived with her family in one of the oldest neighborhoods in the capital, a picturesque setting that could have belonged to Gavroche* or even little Cosette*. Parisians at heart, Galya and her father were accustomed to strolling through the cobbled streets in the shade of the architecture steeped in history and often adorned with mascarons, bas-reliefs or high-reliefs, caryatids, atlantes, or full-length figures carved in stone, so expressive they seemed almost to move. Hand in hand, they wandered through Paris, their steps frequently leading them to meet their painter friends in Montmartre.

 

Some days, they would stroll along the banks of the Seine to exchange a friendly greeting with a few booksellers who occasionally offered their latest treasures, specially unearthed for the most dedicated customers. On the opposite bank, directly facing them, stood Notre-Dame, whose little girl peered into the galleries, behind which the beautiful Esmeralda* might have appeared.

 

Further on, they crossed French-style gardens everywhere adorned with works of art, Galya approached so close that she could imagine the sculptor's gestures in the technique of sculpture in the round.

At other times, it was museums that piqued their curiosity, where inside, a multitude of busts, statuettes, and allegorical statues in bronze, plaster, stone, or marble were displayed to the child's astonished gaze—all these works exhibiting sublime athletic bodies, incredibly human attitudes and expressions, prodigiously realistic textures, and drapery so flowing that she could have nestled herself within it. Captivated, seized by so much beauty and artistry, little Galya knew she would become a sculptor.

 

Alongside her artist father, she learned to see and love Paris, a veritable treasure trove of artistic discoveries for this child curious about all the arts. This open-air cultural hub played a significant role in her artistic development. Imbued with this artistic intensity, Galya's passion grew, and she now dedicates her life to the art of sculpture. Her driving force is the powerful attraction she feels for this three-dimensional practice and the physical energy required to work with raw materials, whether carving or sculpting.

 

His style is contemporary figurative art.
His style is dictated by his instinct, his passions, his rants, his humor, his joys, his sorrows, the essence of life...

 

To my lifelong friend.

André Liesge