Exhibit: Magical Places and Creatures by Donnalynne Lefever - Building 9, October 9 - November 8, 2026.
Location: Building 9
On View: October 9 - November 8, 2026
Opening Reception: October 10, 2026, Saturday 6 - 9pm
Donnalynne Lefever was born in Northern Virginia. Always fond of the arts, she worked in the Theater field for several years where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University of Maryland in 1985. Shortly after graduating she moved to New York City where she made costumes for Broadway including Cats, Song & Dance, Starlight Express, Phantom of the Opera and the Joffrey Ballet Co. to name a few.
When she moved back to Northern VA, she met a designer who inspired her to paint faux finishes and murals in which she currently has a business in the Metropolitan Washington DC area. She is the owner of Lefever Designs which has been in business for 30 years. She creates faux finishes, murals, tromp l’oiel, leafing and artwork of any kind in homes and businesses. She continues to take art classes and workshops to improve her skills and learn new ones. One of her favorite materials to work with is any type of leafing. She works mainly with designers or by word of mouth.
She has taken art classes at Northern Virginia Community College Alexandria Campus over a number of years. To name a few, she has taken workshops and classes from Robert Venosa & Martina Hoffmann, Alex Grey, Rob Vander Zee, Gwen Bragg, Jeanne Tifft and Laurence Caruana as well as a 3 month class at the Visionary Art School in Vienna Austria in 2013 with staff of Laurence Caruana, Aloria Weaver and David Heskin.
In her original art creations, her materials of choice are oils, acrylic, any kind of leafing, pen & ink, conte, mixed media and photography. The style in her work varies from visionary, abstract, representational, spiritual and or figurative.
Her faux and decorative finishes have been published in the magazine Washington Spaces summer 2007. Monkeysee.com has videos of her tips and tricks for faux finishing which can also be found on YouTube today.
She has received many awards at juried shows including: “Honorable Mention” in My Perspective: How I the World 2023 Juried Virtual Show on SAG website, “Honorable Mention” in Spring 2022 Juried Virtual show on SAG website, “Honorable Mention” in Garden Dreams show 2019 in Alex.VA, “Curator’s Choice Award” in A Touch of Magic show 2018 in Alex. VA, “Honorable Mention” at SAG judged show 2012 in Spgfld VA, “2nd Place” in Dying to Get In show 2011 Spgfld, VA, “Honorable Mention” in Herstory show 2010 in Alex. VA, "Honorable Mention" in Fall 2009 Art Show and Sale in Alex. VA, "Honorable Mention" in As We Are...The Enduring Nude show 2008 in Alex. VA and "Best in Clay" in Fire and Fiber show 2000 in Alex. VA.
She has been in the Springfield Art Guild where she served a 3 year term as Co-President and on the Board for an additional 6 more years. Her artwork has been shown locally at many different art organizations, Government Buildings, NOVA Alexandria campus, Artomatic, Virginia Beach business, Berryville VA Mill, RVA Richmond VA and most recently a San Francisco CA gallery. She is currently showing her artwork at Art a La Carte Gallery in Occoquan VA and in Arches Gallery at the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center.
Donnalynne Lefever