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I am first and foremost
a Shenandoah Valley Artist. Well.. actually, I am a wife, mother and grandmother... but that goes without saying if you know me.
I've been drawing and painting as long as I can remember. I have a BFA (that's an Art degree, :) from the University of Tennessee (that's why I can say, 'Ya'll' so well) and could never get enough time to just create! Please check out my artwork here on the D. Cruce Kocka Art page. For paintings that are available to buy and place in your beautiful home, click here! Nearly everything I do is LOCAL: people, scenery, pet portraits, etc. So my work is all VERY Staunton, VA. Mostly because I love it here. If you see something and are not sure if you want to buy it without seeing it in person, let me know. I will gladly meet you at the studio so you can browse my paintings! Please scroll down for my full biography.
a Shenandoah Valley Artist. Well.. actually, I am a wife, mother and grandmother... but that goes without saying if you know me.
I've been drawing and painting as long as I can remember. I have a BFA (that's an Art degree, :) from the University of Tennessee (that's why I can say, 'Ya'll' so well) and could never get enough time to just create! Please check out my artwork here on the D. Cruce Kocka Art page. For paintings that are available to buy and place in your beautiful home, click here! Nearly everything I do is LOCAL: people, scenery, pet portraits, etc. So my work is all VERY Staunton, VA. Mostly because I love it here. If you see something and are not sure if you want to buy it without seeing it in person, let me know. I will gladly meet you at the studio so you can browse my paintings! Please scroll down for my full biography.
Art in the Park, Staunton 2023
Thank you to everyone who came out to Gypsy Hill Park to Art in the Park to support your local artists. I had a wonderful time meeting new friends and was so pleased to have sold so much work! Now I need to get back to the easel.
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I am hoping that my next venture will be Art for Gifts at the Staunton Augusta Art Center in Novemember.
If you were at Art in the Park and are looking for one of my paintings, go to my Available Paintings page or click here. |
The iagoArts Studio space |
Retiring from teaching, simplifying life and focusing on painting
Thank you so much to all the wonderful students I had the privilege of teaching for the last 37 year! I hope this email finds you all well and enjoying our transition from the end of summer to the beginning of our beautiful Fall. To all of you who have had children in my classes. Please let me share with you all a recent, difficult but exciting decision.
I have been blessed through the years with some of the most wonderful children and families to work with.
I have watched some of your children grow up to love to create and some have even taken the skills that they have learned into their adult life.
I have constantly been encouraged by the joy that being creative gives to all of us.
Seeing so many wonderful accomplishments by each and every child has been some of the brightest highlights of my life.
But life is moving on and as I am growing older, I am desiring to simplify life and focus better on fewer things. With an aging father (he turned 90 this year and is still in great health!) and other life callings, it is prudent for me to whittle down some of the multitasking that I have been doing all these years. So, after many months of struggling to make a decision, many conversations with my husband and friends, I am retiring from teaching. It brings much sadness to me to let go of these beautiful young artists but it is the best thing right now.
I am committing to one full year of full time artist work and then I will reevaluate.
I have been blessed through the years with some of the most wonderful children and families to work with.
I have watched some of your children grow up to love to create and some have even taken the skills that they have learned into their adult life.
I have constantly been encouraged by the joy that being creative gives to all of us.
Seeing so many wonderful accomplishments by each and every child has been some of the brightest highlights of my life.
But life is moving on and as I am growing older, I am desiring to simplify life and focus better on fewer things. With an aging father (he turned 90 this year and is still in great health!) and other life callings, it is prudent for me to whittle down some of the multitasking that I have been doing all these years. So, after many months of struggling to make a decision, many conversations with my husband and friends, I am retiring from teaching. It brings much sadness to me to let go of these beautiful young artists but it is the best thing right now.
I am committing to one full year of full time artist work and then I will reevaluate.
Quick Links: Donna Cruce Kocka's beautiful original, Shenandoah Valley plein air paintings, or portraits click here.
Donna Cruce Kocka Biography
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Born and raised in a southern family, Donna has been drawing since she could hold a pencil. Donna Cruce Koćka, BFA, University of Tennessee (1986), is a Staunton, VA resident. She is married and has three children, one wonderful grandson. She loves all things creating, but also loves to hike and camp in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, read, walk in the park with her dog, lead group bible studies, travel and have tea with friends.
In 2011 she took an oil painting class which turned out to be a milepost in her career. She traveled by to Cape Cod, Massachusetts to study with internationally known colorist and portrait artist, Cedric Egeli. This was an intense class revealing to her the beauty of color and light led her to return to The Cape to study with renown artist Camille Prezwodek and then at the Maryland Hall School with John Ebersberger. At the Beverley Street Studio School she studied with Elise Blake and Jeffery Stockberger. She was mentored for years by the renowned colorist, Ron Boehmer who is recognized as one of Virginia's foremost landscape painters and has had a heavy influence on Koćka.
She began teaching Art to children in 1996 and is now semi-retired. Her teaching career includes seventeen years at Grace Christian High School, numerous afterschool art programs, summer art camps and the Staunton Augusta Art Center summer programs. Her latest love includes teaching children how to Plein Air paint.
As Donna was raising her three children she was painting portraits, murals, theater set design and construction, faux finishes and a little graphic design all along the way .
Since 2018 she has participated as a Plein Air painter the Queen City Plein Air Festival/ Virginia Garden Club, Garden tours sponsored by BSSS. In addition to Art for Gifts, she has has been in Art in the Park plus numerous shows and festivals in and around the Shenandoah Valley.
Her love for painting Plein Air often draws to the nearby beautiful Virginia countryside and the Historic downtown Staunton. She also spends much of her time at her new home studio, IagoArts, nearby. She is currently available for commission.
Website: iagoarts.com
Instagram: #dkocka4iagoarts
If you have any questions about a commission painting, use the contact button above. She will respond quickly.
In 2011 she took an oil painting class which turned out to be a milepost in her career. She traveled by to Cape Cod, Massachusetts to study with internationally known colorist and portrait artist, Cedric Egeli. This was an intense class revealing to her the beauty of color and light led her to return to The Cape to study with renown artist Camille Prezwodek and then at the Maryland Hall School with John Ebersberger. At the Beverley Street Studio School she studied with Elise Blake and Jeffery Stockberger. She was mentored for years by the renowned colorist, Ron Boehmer who is recognized as one of Virginia's foremost landscape painters and has had a heavy influence on Koćka.
She began teaching Art to children in 1996 and is now semi-retired. Her teaching career includes seventeen years at Grace Christian High School, numerous afterschool art programs, summer art camps and the Staunton Augusta Art Center summer programs. Her latest love includes teaching children how to Plein Air paint.
As Donna was raising her three children she was painting portraits, murals, theater set design and construction, faux finishes and a little graphic design all along the way .
Since 2018 she has participated as a Plein Air painter the Queen City Plein Air Festival/ Virginia Garden Club, Garden tours sponsored by BSSS. In addition to Art for Gifts, she has has been in Art in the Park plus numerous shows and festivals in and around the Shenandoah Valley.
Her love for painting Plein Air often draws to the nearby beautiful Virginia countryside and the Historic downtown Staunton. She also spends much of her time at her new home studio, IagoArts, nearby. She is currently available for commission.
Website: iagoarts.com
Instagram: #dkocka4iagoarts
If you have any questions about a commission painting, use the contact button above. She will respond quickly.
Six plus years in the Stonewall building. So sad to leave but excited for the next adventure. Thank you to the Staunton, Virginia NewsLeader when I opened, for the lovely article in the paper... find it at the IagoArts Newsleader articlePhoto credit:Ted Tripp, Staunton NewsLeader
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