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

Art of the Piedmont, Juried Show, Middleburg, Virginia 2023, 2024 and 2025

Teeny Tiny Trifecta Juried Show Second Street Gallery Charlottesville, Va 2023, 2024 and 2025

Piedmont Regional Art Show, The Plains, Virginia Juried Show; 2023 Honorable Mention, 2024 Second Place

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

Three paintings curated by Charlotte Moss included in Keswick, Va Southern Living Idea House 2025

Gallery Representation:

Crossroads Art Center, Richmond, Virginia

The Orangerie, Millbrook, New York

Apple’s, Dark Harbor, Maine

Pandion Gallery, Fishers Island, New York

Hellen Storey Antiques, Charlottesville, Va

Virginia Donelson Studios