Virginia
is a third generation Santa Paulan and being raised on a cattle ranch
on South Mountain was impressed with the natural beauty of this area.
As a child her interest in art was greatly influenced by her uncle,
artist Douglas Shively. Not only by his mastery of the local scenes
but also followed with interest his travels on painting excursions
to the High Sierras and many trips abroad.
One
of those trips brought an interest in not only Japanese art but also
Japanese gardens and bonsai. Virginia studied the art of Sumi-e for
18 years and she and her husband Lyle still have a Bonsai collection
and a Japanese garden.
Due
to her uncle's encouragement she started submitting entries to the
Santa Paula Art Show where one of her Japanese watercolors was purchased
and added to the Santa Paula Memorial Hospitals art collection. Another
garnered a 5th place in the Ventura County Fair, Professional Division.
In
the early 1990's she actively pursued her ongoing interest in oil
and watercolor painting. Studying with Ventura artist and teacher
Sally Miller and since that time has earned the title of Signature
Member of the California Gold Coast Watercolor Society. In 2001 she
attended a Watercolor workshop with Susan Petty as the instructor.
Jackie Cavish is her current teacher at the Ventura Unified School
Districts Continuing Education classes in Ventura.
Virginia
still paints in the three styles, Japanese Watercolor, Oil and Watercolor
and is a past member of Buenaventura Art Assn., was the first charter
member of California Gold Coast Watercolor Society. Membership in
the Ventura County Artists Guild is still maintained and is the current
Vice President of the Santa Paula Society of the Arts, where she is
a Life member.
She
has shown works in all mediums in the Professional Division of the
Ventura County Fair, BAA Gallery, Santa Paula Annual Art Show, California
Oil Museum, Carnegie Arts Center, Disneyland, Oxnard Buddhist Temple,
the Sumitomo Bank in Oxnard, the Camarillo Art Center and currently
hangs along with members of the Santa Paula Society of the Arts in
Santa Paula in the DMV, Hospice Office, Santa Clara Valley Bank, and
the newly restored Gallery in the Santa Paula Railroad Depot.
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