Ladonna Kruger American, b. 1950

LaDonna Kruger, born in 1950, has spent her life in the Pacific Northwest, where the region’s landscapes, light, and culture strongly shape her artistic vision. After more than two decades teaching private piano lessons, she pursued visual art full time and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art (painting), cum laude, from Central Washington University in 1998.

Although she explored various media, discovering soft pastels in 2008 marked a turning point and became central to her practice. Her work spans floral abstractions, impressionistic landscapes, realistic rural scenes, atmospheric interiors, and expressive figurative abstractions, including her evocative “People Series.” She frequently paints en plein air from spring through fall and continues studio work year-round, often drawing from memory and personal experience to depict intimate scenes of everyday life.

In 2013, Kruger was diagnosed with choroidal melanoma in her left eye, resulting in significant vision loss. Despite this challenge, her artistic output not only continued but flourished, leading to some of her most recognized and awarded work.

Kruger is a signature member of the Northwest Pastel Society, a signature member of the Pastel Society of America, and holds Master’s Circle status with the International Association of Pastel Societies. Her work has been widely exhibited and honored nationally and internationally. Through pastel and acrylic, she translates light, memory, and emotion into works that celebrate resilience, place, and the beauty of ordinary moments.