Gloria Coker
GLORIA COKER — Gloria Coker's work is poetry, music, and motion blended in a vibrant world of color that is breath taking. Her art pulsates with life and sound. It is like being at the center of a vortex of energy, momentum and brilliance- swept into a dynamic landscape of visual splendor."
Gloria Coker was an illustrator for the Newport News, Virginia Daily Press (a Chicago Tribune newspaper) newsroom for twelve years before pursuing her career as a professional fine artist. Her work there included illustrating newsroom and feature stories as well as courtroom art, which appeared in the newspaper and on TV.
Gloria Coker's loose and vivid acrylics and oils capture her feelings about people of all ages as they engage in their passions and everyday activities. She displays her personal art including musicians and dancers in galleries in Virginia, North Carolina, California, and Washington, D.C. Her collectors are worldwide. She has taught classes in watercolor at CNU, TNCC, and Peninsula Fine Art Center and through UV continuing education. Her awards are numerous.
Gloria Coker has exhibited her series on conductor JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony and jazz series featuring Arturo Sandoval at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk and also at the Ella Fitzgerald Concert series at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia . Her work has also been featured at the Buffalo Philharmonic. An article about her work has appeared in American Artist Watercolor edition and was selected three years for the Hampton Bay Days poster. In 2001 her work was chosen for the Norfolk Harborfest poster and the brochure cover for the 2001 season of the Virginia Symphony and for the 2002 Buffalo Philharmonic series. Two large acrylics hang in the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk and a painting of the launching of the sub Newport News is in the Harbor Bank collection. Sony recently selected two jazz paintings for CD covers for jazz artist JoAnn Falletta. In 2002, her work was selected to hang in the new Sentara Careplex Medical Office Building 's permanent collection. In 2004, she received First prize at the October Studio 107 Norfolk, Virginia Splash of Color Show. Her painting of JoAnn Falletta was feactured on the WNYC (NEW YORK) website on June 4, 2004. She recently had a piece of artwork selected for a wine label.
Ms. Coker's art is in many collections throughout the US and Europe, including Ernie Els, JoAnn Falletta, Tom Clancy, Marcel deSaulniers, Fuzzie Zoeller, and the Daily Press.
Although Gloria Coker's academic background includes a BA in psychology and a Masters in Counseling and Guidance from William and Mary, she now devotes full time to her art. She has two grown children and lives in Newport News with her husband.
