The Armenian artist Valentin (Valeri) Sergeevich Makhitaryants was born in 1947 in the Northern Caucasus city of Vladikavkaz. He came to St. Petersburg to study at the Repin Institute of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture where he studied in the studio of academician Andrei Mylnikov. Makhitaryants graduated from the Academy in 1975. From his St. Petersburg studio,.. (bio to be updated)