Art a la Carte
MEET OUR PAINTERS
Nikki
Coletta
By the time I was 10 I was drawn to the arts. Taking classes throughout my childhood at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, and in hospitals through art therapy. I not only had a love for art, I also survived three open-heart surgeries. As a survivor with a hearing loss, and being in and out of hospitals, I had a lot to say and through my art, I found my voice in a challenging world.
As grew into the artist I am today, I realized I have the ability to create, push, pull and stretch the boundaries of your imagination. I am acutely aware of the significance of my surroundings, my vision and my voice. With every stroke of my brush, my intent is to paint with compassion, to create with inspiration while simultaneously freezing time. My role is to capture the darkest of hearts and the brightest of thoughts. Constantly walking that tight rope between reality and imagination.
Donnalynne
Lefever
Donnalynne Lefever is a native to the Northern VA area. Always fond of the arts, she earned a BA degree at the University of Maryland and moved to New York City upon graduating in 1985. This is where she made costumes for Broadway for some famous musicals and ballet companies.
Wanting a little more out of life, when she moved back a few years later, she met an interior designer who inspired her in painting faux finishes and murals in which she currently has a business in the Metro DC area for over 25 years. To learn more skills to improve her painting, she took lots of classes in varying mediums.
She has been inspired by numerous artists including current Visionary artists Robert Venosa, Martina Hoffman, Alex Grey, Aloria Weaver and David Heskin all of whom she has taken classes or workshops with. She also took a course at the Vienna Visionary Art Academy in Vienna Austria learning to refine her skills and learn older techniques.
In her original art creations, her favorite materials to use are oils, acrylic, leafing, pen & ink, conte, mixed media and photography. The style in her work varies from visionary, abstract, representational, spiritual and figurative.
Josephine
(Josie)
Tullo
I was born and raised on Long Island, N.Y. I graduated from Stony Brook University with a double major in Early infant-6th grade teaching degree and a degree in art. After marrying the love of my life,Tony, moving to Virginia and raising three sons I began a career as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. In 2013 I retired and picked up my paint brush again!
My art captures the energy, color vibrancy and movement creating works reflecting ideas of landscapes, seascapes and floral arrangements. As an Abstract Expressionist, I paint primarily with alcohol based inks, but also enjoy acrylic paints and mixed media to create contemporary compositions with organic forms that are energetic and unique!
I invite you to come visit me at Art A La Carte Gallery in Occoquan, VA. where you might see me demonstrating inside the Gallery or on the porch if the weather's nice. Sign up for one of my classes and learn how to "paint without anxiety!"
Donna D.
Turgeon
I am an artist/owner of the Art a la Carte Gallery, and my work is inspired by the close observation and reverence for nature found in the great naturalists of the 1800s — especially Audubon, Homer, Wilson, Bewick, and Catesby. As a trained marine ecologist, I bring that same attentiveness to habitat, behavior, texture, and light, seeking to reveal the quiet character of birds, animals, botanicals, and coastal life. While my influence is historical, my approach is contemporary in its softness and emotional tone –– aiming for work that feels calming, with a sense of stillness.
I have been drawing since childhood and have worked for decades in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pastel, mixed media, charcoal, ink, and pencil. My paintings are meant to feel intimate, detailed, and alive — a celebration of birds, wildlife, plants, and coastal life seen with affection and care. Whether I am painting a familiar woodland creature, a graceful bird, or a quiet natural setting, I want the viewer to feel a moment of connection with the natural world.
I now live in Florida but my artwork is available through our gallery in Occoquan, Virginia and on my website. If you are looking for a particular piece or would like to discuss a commission, I would be delighted to hear from you
Valerie
Larson
After raising our family in Manassas and focusing on graphic design for steady work, I happily delved into painting and drawing again. I love working in watercolor and pen-and-ink for their immediacy and freshness. Favorite subjects include local landmarks, historic buildings, animals, and nature. I try to capture the beauty around me, and quality of light and how it reveals three-dimensionality is always a key element in my work.
My time is devoted largely to commissioned portraits of pets, homes, and other meaningful subjects such as wedding venues, favorite vacation spots, or where you met your partner. You’ll find examples of my work under the “Commissions” tab on my website. Please reach out if you have a special project in mind - I love collaborating on new ideas!
I’m often asked how pet and special request portraits became my art niche. I’ve learned a lot about what matters in this life through profound loss, especially the loss of our son to a reckless speeding driver many years ago. Our most valuable possessions in this life are our memories and relationships, and I love knowing that my artwork celebrates both.
Deidre
Pistochini
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Deidre Pistochini was educated at Pennsylvania State University, graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medicine/ Biology. Accepting an officer commission upon graduation, she served 22 years in the U. S. Navy from 1977-1999, retiring as a Commander. After retiring from the military she worked in the private sector, running a small business for several years between 2002-2005. She has always loved to travel and was inspired to take up art following a trip to Italy with a group of artists in the summer of 2014. She has exhibited her art in shows locally and throughout Virginia and Maryland and is a member of Potomac Valley Watercolorists, the Virginia Watercolor Society and the Baltimore Watercolor Society.
She believes that getting outside is good for the soul and through her artwork, she tries to bring the outside in. Her subject matter is nature, whether it be a traditional landscape or an animal or a flower painting. As a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, she also brings that unique perspective to her artwork.
Living with paintings that pay tribute to the natural world reminds us to slow down and reconnect with nature and our world. Her goal is to inspire those who see her work to look more closely at the world around them, to discover beauty in the most unexpected things and places. She continually strives to improve her art skills and experiment with new mediums to further enhance and refine her style.
Olya
Sushkova
Olya works as a painter and has been an art teacher for over 20 years after graduating with honors at Kazan Art College, Russia. She studied at High School of Arts Dresden, Germany, joined the Union of Artists of Russia, and received a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation in support of young artists.
She has lived and worked in the United States since 2018. Since 2005 Olya has participated in group and regional exhibitions and currently holds solo exhibitions in Russia, Germany, Switzerland and Canada. From 2018-2024 she took part in shows in Massachusetts and New York. As well as, solo shows in Lowell, Lexington, Nashua, Newburyport, Needham, Westford.
In 2024 Olya moved to Virginia and started collaboration with local galleries.
Her works are in private collections in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Australia,
Estonia, Israel, China, Canada, England, Turkey and the United States.
Craig
Wright
Craig Wright is an award-winning watercolor artist based in Northern Virginia. While he appreciates all artistic styles, he gravitates towards realism, where he recreates subjects as accurately and realistically as possible, paying particular attention to natural colors with a heavy focus on depth, shadows, and contrast. His wide range of subjects reflects a desire to challenge himself as an artist and the extent of his abilities. Craig is a Signature Artist of the Virginia Watercolor Society, Georgia Watercolor Society, Baltimore Watercolor Society, and Potomac Valley Watercolorists.
