Connellsville native wins top honors in Virginia art show
Connellsville native Donna Campbell Allen’s painting titled “Lin” (above) took top honors at the National Arts Program Art Show in Virginia recently.
Connellsville native Donna Campbell Allen recently took top honors at the National Arts Program Art Show in Virginia.
A Connellsville native recently was awarded top honors at the National Arts Program Art Show in Virginia.
Donna Campbell Allen, a Connellsville Area High School graduate, received the award for her painting titled, “Lin.”
“Lin and I started off as neighbors and have been partners in many mischievous undertakings,” said Campbell Allen. “But, her faithful friendship will hold a place in my heart forever.”
Campbell Allen’s love of art began in her Bullskin Township home where she would create large floor plans of houses where she and her sister would play.
“We had two separate houses and drove our bikes along our chalk drawn streets from one house to another,” she said.
Her talent and interest in art began to flourish as time passed.
At the age of nine while at the beach with family members she coerced a cousin to sit still for an hour or so while she drew his image.
“When we finished, our parents really raved about that portrait,” she said.
In high school, art teacher Sandra Fee urged her to try various art forms to develop her interest.
“I remember being devastated learning how Norman Rockwell projected his photographs onto the canvas and outlined the image,” said Campbell Allen. “This felt like cheating to me, but Mrs. Fee had me try it.
“Sure enough it was a great trick for getting the image on the canvas quickly. Then she told me to paint it. It was then I understood the difference between tricks and talent.
Her relationship with “Lin” or Elizabeth Marie Kim, as she was named after being adopted at the age of 12 by her missionary parents, began when she, her husband and two children moved into an upstairs apartment.
“I remember seeing her from my kitchen window that fall-like moving day carrying a lovely pink silk coverlet and other very Korean items from her Jeep, along with two small children in tow,” said Campbell Allen.
The two developed an immediate friendship that included meal sharing, watching one another’s children, the joint celebration of birthdays and holidays and other activities that continue today.
The award-winning water color painting is the second one done of her friend, said Campbell Allen.
“One day I asked Lin if I could photograph her in two incredibly beautiful dresses that were purchased in Korea,” she said. “In (the award winning painting) I love the way Lin is holding her hands in framing her face.
“It’s my feeling that this expresses femininity and a delicate place in her soul.”
Although much of her time is taken up today with her work as the Children’s Ministry coordinator for a Richmond, Va., church, Campbell Allen also teaches portraiture and watercolor at the University of Richmond and completes water color portraits by commission.
Some of her work can be viewed at the Connellsville Area Historical Society office located on the second floor of the Carnegie Library.
To contact Campbell Allen, visit her website at www.donnacampbellallenwatercolors.com.