Constantine Cherkas
Born in 1919 in Moscow to a father who was already an artist his daily exposure to discussions of the arts encouraged the young Constantine's interest in painting. He was the youngest student ever to attend the Moscow Academy of Arts and whilst there was nicknamed the 'Russian Gauguin' by his professors. Cherkas left Moscow in search of artistic freedom but he and his wife Kira were captured by the Nazis. Thankfully they survived and after World War II Cherkas resumed his painting and was eventually accepted into two of the finest art schools in Europe - The Vienna Art Academy and the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. He later emigrated to America.