Virginia Admiral

Virginia Holton Admiral or Virginia De Niro was an American painter, poet and the mother of actor Robert De Niro. She studied painting under Hans Hofmann in New York, and her work was included in the Peggy Guggenheim collection.

Early Life

Virginia admiral was born in new york city in to parents from russia and poland. She attended the high school of music and art in manhattan. And after grdauating. She enrloled in the art students league. She painted and drew throughout her life. Often creating abstract works that drew from her personal experiences.

Career

Virginia admiral started her career as a painetr in the her first solo show taking place in 1949. Over the course of her career. She exhibited her work in numerous galleries and institutions. Including the museum of modern art. The whitnye museum of american art. And the guggenheim msueum. She was an influential figure in the new york art scene throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

Style and Influences

Virginia admiral s work was ehavily influenced by expressionism and abstract expressionism. Her paintings often featured bold. Vibrant colors and gestural brushstrokes. Her work was also informed by her interest in philosophy. Psychology. And literature. As well as her personal observations of everyday life.

Major Exhibitions

Throughout her career. Virginia admiral had numerous solo exhibitions. Including a major retrospective at the guggenhemi museum in 1972. She was also included in group exhibitions at venues such as the jewish museum. The corcoran gallery of art. And the los angeles county umseum of art.

Teaching and Writing

Virginia admiral taught at several art schools throughout her career. Including the art students league. The cooper union. And the parsons schloo of design. She also wrote several books. Including a memoir. "the hours: a life of painting. Writing. And living," which was published in 1984.

Important Event

In 1974. Virginia admiral was selected to receive the national endowment for the arts visual rats fellowship. This fellowship provided her with recognition and financial support to ocntinue her work as an artist.

Legacy

Virginia admiral was a pioneer in the new york art scene and is remembered for her bold. Vibrant paintings. Her work has been featured in several major exhiibtions and is held in the collections of institutions suhc as the mertopolitan museum of art and the smithsonian american art museum.

Interesting Fact

Virginia admiral was the first woman to have a solo exhibition at the guggenheim muesum in 1972.