About
A native of Virginia, Dolores W. Bumbrey's colorful paintings pay homage to her southern and faith-based background, capturing the calmness of nature and the peace that can be found through the sacred elements of landscape.
She spent the earlier part of her career at the CIA, and later gravitated toward one of her greatest passions, art. She delights in sharing her God-given gift with all by capturing the beauty of things around us that often go unnoticed.
She is skilled in several mediums and art forms, including oil painting, acrylic painting, graphite pencil drawing, and mixed media. She was first commissioned by the late Major Dorothy Bittenger to paint the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, and later completed a portrait of former Fredericksburg Mayor Davies.
Artist Statement
Whether my work is non-objective or representative – or a blend of both – the creative spirit within me remains the same. When I paint, I feel a certain spirituality and a need to express it in a way that leaves a positive and lasting impression.
My primary goal is to paint and draw for self-expression, inspiration, and relaxation. I believe that art is very much like music in its ability to touch, inspire, and uplift. I use both of my God-given gifts of song and art as a way of helping people.
I strive for my artwork to convey positive emotions and invoke an uplifting response in the viewer, providing them with a temporary escape. My mission is to shine a little light into a sometimes seemingly dark world, while providing viewers with a sense of calmness and peace.
Collections & Exhibitions
Bumbrey has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Colonial Beach, Virginia, including Chroma International's exhibition at Pepco Edison Place Gallery in Washington, D.C., the Fredericksburg Fine Art exhibitions, FCCA, and the Fredericksburg Area Museum's "SEEN" exhibit.
Her work can be found at the Darbytown Art Studio and Gallery, on Fine Art America, and in numerous private collections, churches, businesses, and at Mary Washington Hospital.
She is honored to be the first African American female visual artist interviewed and featured in the First Lady of Virginia's Sisterhood Spotlight.