Galia began her career in the arts at Syracuse University School of Fine Arts as a Painting and Sculpture major, but she honed her eye for interplays of color and pattern while creating original designs for fabric prints in Manhattan's garment center. Her popular textile designs could be found on apparel and home fashions in stores and showrooms nationwide. Specializing in a French dye and resist technique hand-painted on silk for over two decades, her 'mixed-patterned' designs were particularly popular. Combinations of color and pattern remain a thread in Galia's work today, now expressed in an entirely different medium -- nature and wildlife photography.
"Obviously, nature is not a new design subject in any medium, but highlighting a visual interest ― without orchestrating it ― is inspiring to me. After carefully controlling the elements of art and design in a number of fields over the years, from sourcing design reference for an apparel trend to mixing a precise color for a textile print or painting, I am excited by aesthetics that organically occur. Old habits do die hard though, so I indulge my control-freak impulses through photo composites and digital techniques, with a thematic and intentional effect in mind."
The digital arts were just starting to transform the hands-on nature of textile design when she became interested in graphic design and advertising, then web design. A computer and software became the tools for her talents more often than brushes and paint going forward.
Galia lived in Manhattan for many years, and raised a family in the scenic Hudson River Valley of Westchester, NY, where subject matter was limitless on all-weather hikes with her Australian Shepherd, Chloe, who graciously accommodated her walking partner's frequent stops ― and vice versa! A move to southwest Florida presented fresh opportunities. Just a couple of years later, another move, this time to the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, presented an abundance of breathtaking landscapes and wildlife.
Be sure to visit the PhotoPainting page for Galia's current artistic passion, transforming her beautiful photographs to resemble paintings!
If imagery from a specific location has special meaning to you, contact Galia to discuss a piece customized to your passion!