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Anton Martynenko

Biography

PROFILE: Anton Martynenko discovered a calling for art at the age of 15. In 2003, as a high school exchange student from Russia in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, he enrolled in an art class. His teacher not only sparked an interest in art, but also became an important resource to help Anton return to the US to follow his dreams and pursue a college education.

As an art and math tutor at Carl Albert State College, Anton became known for patiently encouraging others to excel. He credits his parents, who still reside in Russia, with providing a fascinating childhood despite limited means. They offered “countless books that could take me anywhere in the world from the whirlpools of Mark Twain’s Mississippi River and the streets of Conan Doyle’s London to the moon of Jules Verne.”

INSPIRATION: Through painting, Anton discovered “the means to express my ideas and thoughts, the means to capture history and ongoing events and preserve them for generations; the means to make viewers think, feel, and wonder.”

ASPIRATION: Anton plans to pursue a Ph.D. and become a university professor and studio artist.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Anton’s volunteer and community service has included organizing donationsfor troops stationed in combat zones, baby-sitting services for foster children, and river and highway trash pickup.

ACCOLADES: Anton became an officer in the International Students Club and joined Students in Free Enterprise and Phi Theta Kappa, eventually becoming that chapter’s Regional President for Oklahoma and Arkansas.

INTERESTING FACT: After trying to learn a thousand times, Anton still cannot tie a necktie.

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