Blog

A few weekends ago, I gave a talk at Southwest Virginia Community College just before taking down my art display. You think college, you think college students, but there were alas only two that Sunday afternoon. But who could blame them. It was a gorgeous spring day in the Virginia mountains. I was going to lead with a brief ... what can a wrinkled old artist from Newport News teach you about the art you ...

The holidays have come and gone- almost- and the survivors go back to their version of normal. With the prevalence of family photo Christmas cards I now see how wonderfully (as Garrison Kellor says) above average your family members are. And there must not have been any disasters this year. They look too happy. I am now aware of many wonderful places there are in this world that you have visited (though after you factor ...

Thought I'd share some of my thought process as I get creative ... I am incubating. Not really a fun time for me. Why can't I be inspired by a new subject? Or should I play with different ways / techniques of handling the themes I have maybe become too comfortable with- dancers, musicians, people in activities. As much as I try to break away from realism I know myself well enough to accept that ...

Hi Friends, While I am waiting for my next big inspiration, I have decided to explore using my style of painting  and personalizing it to the activities of my clients. In the past, people have thought they recognized someone in my paintings.  In some cases, I have, in my own style, included known personalities into my paintings. During my career, I have painted musicians and dancers as well as people involved in sports - pretty ...

One of my favorite paintings sold the other day.  I feel privileged that the City of Hampton choose another one of my paintings to add to their permanent collection.  "Trumpet Gone Wild" is part of the 2015 Hampton Roads Convention Center Halls of Art.  The painting will continue to be displayed at the Hampton Roads Convention Center through October 28, 2015. Stop by and see the painting along with some other beautiful pieces of art ...

Gloria and Luke celebrate their 50th anniversary on Jan 30, 2015. You might find this interesting: Listen my children, if I can remember, I’ll tell you story of love in September. It happened in late nineteen sixty-four- Our country had not as yet geared up for war. The United States Navy seemed a safe place to be, Especially if you were under the sea. So he answered the call of the Submarine Service Though traveling ...

Hi to all my clients and art lovers It seems that those who love art are beginning to emerge from the depths of the post-2008 economic despair - we artists may never again see the heyday that was pre-2008 - but slowly things are looking up. I still believe that for me the best is yet to come.  I do not think that I have peaked in my art and hop you will all follow ...

I was delighted to participate in this Artist Spotlight by the Murphy Montgomery Fine Art Gallery in Port Warwick, Newport News, Virginia.  They shared the following in their recent email newsletter: Artist Spotlight Gloria Coker Many people ask how I paint my subjects –where do I get reference material etc. Although it would be far easier to have a photo to copy most of my work evolves from bits and pieces pulled together from a ...

Today at the Virginia Living Museum, I was sketching the red wolves.  A group of school children stopped by and about five of the 4th graders were so interested in my discussing how I sketched and other things about the wolves, they never turned around to actually watch the wolves play.  But I think there may be a budding artist in the group. That was reward for me. The most memorable event was when I ...

From my time painting as the Artist in Residence at the Virginia Living Museum, I've finished a number of small, original art pieces.  Most range in size from 8x10 inches to 11x14 inches.  You can purchase some of these new paintings online at my SHOP, too. When I visited the museum last Wednesday, they had placed a number of my paintings on the wall for sale in the VLM Gift Shop.   I'm so excited to ...