Galina Pendill

Galina Pendill (born Sultan; 5th of May 1937, Riga, Republic of Latvia – 7th of July 2011, Tarrytown, New-York, USA) –  an artist, an illustrator, a translator, a public figure.

Galina Pendill descends from a Karaite family of Riga entrepreneurs. In 1944, being afraid of the persecutions from Soviet authorities, the family moved to Germany, and later - to the USA.  

At the age of 17 years old she enrolled into the Pratt Institute in New-York and graduated from it with the degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts. For more than 20 years she had been working for Vogue magazine, as well as had been cooperating with advertising agencies in New-York, Washington DC, Chicago and other cities.  

However, in the course of time, drawn illustration became substituted with photography, and in 1974 the artist had to change her occupation - she became a translator from Russian to English language and in 1990, together with her husband Grant Pendill, established the Russian Translating Service in the USA. 

At the beginning of 1990ies she resumed painting, simultaneously studying sculpture. From 1999 till 2009 she had been taking classes in graphics from a famous Spanish artist Luis Ortega. She also studied new painting and sculpture techniques at the Westchester Center of Visual Arts. 

Her works were exhibited in famous exhibition halls, including the Pratt Institute (New-York), at the Westchester Center of Visual Arts and the "Arsoma" gallery (Washington DC). 

After retirement in 1999, the Pendill spouses started the charity program of their own, aimed at helping Russian handicaped orphans. The program was funded from their own assets. In 2005 the program was broadened and transformed into the Pendill Charity Foundation. It constantly cooperated with different Russian charity non-govermental organizations, which provided finansial and social aid to the children of Russia.  

Galina Pendill had three sons from her first marriage. 

She died of lung cancer on 7th of July 2011, and was buried at the Novo Diveevo Orthodox Cemetery (the state of New-York).