Virginia Niles Schaffer

Virginia Schaefer is a watercolor artist living in Sherman, Connecticut. Painting since 2005, she draws inspiration from the rolling hills, lakes, farms, and changing seasons of the surrounding countryside.

Working primarily in watercolor, Virginia is drawn to the medium’s spontaneity and luminosity. Her paintings often employ wet-on-wet techniques, allowing color and water to interact freely, creating atmospheric landscapes filled with movement, light, and emotion. She is particularly fascinated by the expressive possibilities of vibrant color and the way watercolor can capture both the strength and delicacy of the natural world.

Virginia is a member of Gallery 25 in New Milford and the Sherman Artists Association. Her work has been exhibited throughout Connecticut and New York in juried shows, art festivals, and community exhibitions. She has received numerous awards, including Best of Show for Watercolor at the Kent Art Association’s August Light Art Show.

Among her notable achievements are a commissioned watercolor of Candlewood Lake that sold for $2,700 and a painting of the Victorian barn of television personality Sally Jessy Raphael.

For Virginia, painting is more than a creative pursuit—it is a way of observing, celebrating, and preserving the beauty of the landscape. Through each painting, she seeks to convey a sense of peace, wonder, and connection to the natural world. Art is, for Virginia, a lifeline to good health and a lifelong source of inspiration.