BELLEFONTE —  

One of the more than 60 artists listed in the Bellefonte Art Museum’s registry is Veronica Winters. Here is her statement:

Native of Russia, Veronica Winters was born in 1976. She spent her childhood in Zelenograd, a suburb of Moscow known for its electronic industry. Veronica always thought of herself as an artist but with the collapse of the Soviet Union she pursued a different career and received her Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Zelenograd Business College, a joint venture of the Moscow Institute of Electronic Engineering and the University of Tulsa. In 1995-1996 she was awarded a full scholarship and studied at the University of Tulsa for two semesters.

Veronica and her husband immigrated to the United States in 1997. Only in the United States could Veronica fully explore her artistic abilities and she started by taking courses first at Tulsa Community College and then in 2003 completing her B.F.A. in studio art at Oklahoma State University. From the very beginning colored pencil was Veronica’s medium of choice and she has shown formidable skill. Her colored pencil works has always displayed astonishing detail and vivid colors.

In 2005 Veronica completed her M.F.A. degree in painting at the Pennsylvania State University. Veronica also took figurative art classes at the Art Students League of New York and the Grand Central Academy of Art in New York City in 2008-2012.  Today Veronica paints in her studio as well as teaches art. The artist has received numerous awards and magazine publications (including Artists & Illustrators, American Art Collector, and Leisure Painter), commissions. Her works can be found in private collections in the U.S.A. and Europe. Veronica is represented by the Green Drake Gallery (Millheim), KR Designs Gallery (Fort Myers, Florida), and Fleyta Art Salon (Zelenograd, Moscow, Russia). Visit her official website: Veronicasart.com or www.facebook.com/veronicasart, watch videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/veronicasart, and read her blog at: www.veronicawintersart.blogspot.com.

Art creation is the need. It’s not a choice if you want to do it or not, it’s something you can postpone but cannot get away from.  Art is created in response to personal feelings, experiences, and life lessons. It grows, matures, and erupts in novel series of work. Although series might not have an obvious connection with each other, all of them are integral parts of artist’s life.

Drawing in colored pencils is an exercise in skill and understanding of light and shade. Painting is an expression of my life and soul. I also have a deep regard for reading, photography and video work to express my ideas.  I hope that over time my painting would mature to the greatest extent possible both creatively and technically. I aspire to produce beautiful, powerful art that is rooted in classical tradition, yet contains contemporary aesthetic. So that looking back at many years spent learning and growing I’d proudly state “I’m the artist!”   

The Bellefonte Art Museum celebrates the human spirit through the arts, recognizing the importance of art in our lives. In 2011, the museum experienced a large increase in attendance, private donations and membership and completed refurbishing the historic Linn House.  The museum opened three new galleries: the Children’s Creativity Center, the Anna Wagner Keichline Gallery and the new Louise Bloom Sieg Gallery. The museum is opened Friday through Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Phone 814.355.4280.