Arkansas Artist Showcase | Virmarie DePoyster

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Blue Splendor by artist Virmarie DePoyster

Virmarie DePoyster was born on the beautiful Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico in 1968. The intense colors, landscapes and atmosphere of the Caribbean left an indelible impression on her and continue to influence her work. Her desire to express herself creatively, to work with her hands and make something out of nothing, started at The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where she studied Apparel Merchandising and Design driven by her love for fabrics, textures and bright colors.

Holding Hands by artist Virmarie DePoyster

After a successful medical sales career and having two children, Virmarie decided to embrace her creative side and in 2004 started painting at the Arkansas Art Center Museum School. She quickly fell in love with the bright pigments of soft pastels and developed a true love for painting with pastels on Wallis Museum Paper.

Her studies include world renowned pastel artists Maggie Price, founder of The Pastel Journal; Kitty Wallis, Portrait Artist and Colorist and Arkansas artist, Endia Gomez. Their teachings nurtured her love for creating and allowed her to develop her contemporary style for landscapes and a love for realistic portraits. Other artists such as Mark Leach, Wende Caporale, and Greg Biolchini profoundly inspire her desire to be known as a colorist.

Virmarie's paintings are part of private and public collections throughout Arkansas. She is a member of the Arkansas Artists Registry, Vice President of Arkansas Pastel Society and Vice President for The Arkansas League of Artists. Recently, her piece “Hay Field Glow” was awarded the Purchase Award from the Arkansas Arts Council and will tour throughout Arkansas as part of the 2008 Small Works on Paper Exhibit. Furthermore, her portrait “Diagnosis = Ovarian Cancer” was awarded Honorable Mention at the 50th Delta Exhibition at the Arkansas Art Center. This fall, her painting “Holding Hands” won Best of Show at the Arkansas Pastel Society Show at Garven Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs.

Virmarie currently lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband, David and their two children, Grant and Anna.