Virginia
Costilow spent 17 years in San Diego as a Graphic Artist & Designer. Born
in Tennessee in 1942 and raised in Pasadena, California during its cultural
heyday, she was the daughter of renowned art professors. Between growing up in
this environment, and classes at PCC, UCLA, and more, she has gained enormous
talent in her craft. She is listed in Who’s Who in International Poetry, and
was recently accepted for a listing in Who’s Who in the West, Who's Who in
America, Who's Who in American Artists, Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who
in American Women (Millennium editions).
Several years
doing decorative murals in exclusive homes encouraged her to branch out and
tackle acrylics on canvas. Since transferring her efforts to canvas, her works
have been consistently accepted into juried shows and have been recognized with
awards and purchases. Her paintings are in the collections of CBS Television,
Calloway Wineries, and more.
She had been
working on a series of paintings featuring endangered species and their babies.
Recently, she put the series aside to direct her energy into a triptych (4’ by
9’ total) entitled AWOL (Absent Without Our Leave). It illustrates
a very personal period of her life when her husband spent several tours of duty
in Viet Nam while she and other military wives and dependants stayed home and
waited. The poem (same title) is meant to accompany the painting. This painting
is on permanent exhibit at the Veteran's Museum in Balboa Park.