Leokadia Makarska-Cermak

Leokadia Makarska-Čermák or Lily Čermák (in Czech: Leokadia Čermáková), known in the US for painting US Senator Charles Schumer, New York City Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg, was born in Polanica-Zdrój, Poland. She received a merit-based full scholarship from the Ministry of Culture that allowed her to study the five-year program in interior design and wood technologies at the Technical University in Zvolen, Czechoslovakia (today in Slovakia). After graduation, Leokadia married Jiří Čermák and moved to Ostrov a town not far from Karlovy Vary. She worked in Karlovy Vary first as an interior and furniture designer and later, as a teacher at a technical high school.

Leokadia Makarska-Čermák (as Leokadia Čermáková) received her Bachelor of Arts with Cum Laude honors from the Bernard M. Baruch College of the City University of New York in the United States, her master's degree from the Thomas G. Masaryk College of the Czech Technical University (CVUT) in Prague, and her master's degree in Architecture of Interiors and Furniture design from Technical University in Zvolen in former Czechoslovakia.

Since the early 1980s, Makarska-Čermák belonged to local fine art club and exhibited her art in Ostrov and Karlovy Vary. However, in 1995 she decided to concentrate on her art work full-time and left her teaching position.

It was in these years that Makarska-Čermák studied painting and drawing under the direction of professor Hana in Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic), professors Francesco Brunetti, Demetrio Casile and Nino Noce in Italy, and Jacek M. Rybczynski in Germany.

In October 1997, Makarska-Čermák had her first exhibit in the United States. It was hosted by the Polish Consulate General in New York.

Since 1998, Makarska-Čermák has been working at the Grand Prospect Hall as an in-house artist and curator, restoring paintings and interiors.

Cermak's list of honors includes presentation of portraits to such public figures as NYC Mayors Rudy Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, and Founder and Executive Director of CIAO Mary C. Sansone.

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