A former schoolteacher in New York state, Virginia King says, "I was always interested in art but I never had any time for it." From a young age King remembers her father, whom she pronounces "a very good artist," using art "to entertain his children and his grandchildren." After retiring to Florida in the early 1980s, King found time to paint, and calls painting her "new career." She adds, "I am very prolific. This is more than a hobby, it is something I have to do."

This particular painting is very satisfying to King. After struggling to find a basket that fit her idea for the composition, King located one that perfectly suited her needs. King was so pleased with the results that she exhibited this painting in her solo show at the King Center. When notified that it had been accepted for From Grandmother’s Brush, King had to quickly mark Tomato Basket "not for sale" in order to exhibit it here.

King finds art particularly rewarding for the opportunities it creates. "I have been able to meet so many people. Art truly branches out; it is community-building."

[artist biography by Sydney Pettus; artist photograph by Nikki Nickolson]
Virginia King
Tomato Basket, 2000, watercolor on paper