Virginia Donelson was born and educated in Virginia, and attended drama school in London.  In moving to New York she found her true voice in writing and performing character driven comedy. TV credits: Saturday Night Live, Comedy Central and Showtime; Off Broadway: co-writer/ performer Banned in France; Edinburgh Fringe Festival: co-writer/performer Dick’s Island.

After marrying and raising her family at Merriewood Farm in Somerset, Virginia began painting, chiefly dog and animal portraits.  She believes her background in comedy has hugely influenced her painting because success in painting requires close observation, just as comedy does.  Comedy can only work when it truly reflects reality: a character played too broadly is never funny, likewise a portrait painted without proper proportions never renders a good likeness.

Virginia finds great freedom in sometimes painting whimsical, even comical subjects, since after all her first love is comedy.

Credits:

“Demystify: Exploring the Way Artists Work”-Arts Center of Orange, Virginia.  2020

Albemarle Garden Club 45th Virginia Historic Garden Tour Sale Albemarle, Virginia 2023

Art of the Piedmont, Juried Show, Middleburg, Virginia 2023

Teeny Tiny Trifecta 6, Juried Show at Second Street Gallery, Charlottesville, Virginia, 2023

Piedmont Regional Art Show, Juried Show, The Plains, Virginia, 2023; Honorable Mention

Art of the Piedmont, Juried Show, Middleburg, Virginia 2024

Virginia Historic 46th Garden Tour Sale, Alexandria, Virginia 2024

ARF Bow Wow Meow Ball, East Hampton, New York 2024

Teeny Tiny Trifecta 7, Juried Show at Second Street Gallery, Charlottesville, Virginia, 2024

Piedmont Regional Art Show, Juried Show (Second Place), The Plains Virginia 2024

Gallery Representation:

Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, Virginia

The Orangerie, Millbrook, New York

Apple’s, Dark Harbor, Maine

Pandion Gallery, Fishers Island, New York

Virginia Donelson Studios