Gloria Coker was an illustrator for the Newport News, Virginia Daily Press (a Chicago Tribune newspaper) newsroom for twelve years before pursuing her career as a professional fine artist. Her work there included illustrating newsroom and feature stories as well as courtroom art, which appeared in the newspaper and on TV.

Her loose and vivid acrylics and oils capture her feelings about people of all ages as they engage in their passions and everyday activities. She displays her personal art including musicians and dancers in galleries in Virginia, California, North and South Carolina and Montreal. Her collectors are worldwide. She has taught classes in watercolor at CNU, TNCC, and Peninsula Fine Art Center and through UVa continuing education. Her awards are numerous.

She has exhibited her series on conductor JoAnn Falletta and the Virginia Symphony and jazz series featuring Arturo Sandoval at Chrysler Hall in Norfolk and also at the Ella Fitzgerald Concert series at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia. Her work has also been featured at the Buffalo Philharmonic. An article about her work has appeared in American Artist Watercolor edition and was selected three years for the Hampton Bay Days poster. In 2001 her work was chosen for the Norfolk Harborfest poster and the brochure cover for the 2001 season of the Virginia Symphony and for the 2002 Buffalo Philharmonic series. Two large acrylics hang in the Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters in Norfolk and a painting of the launching of the sub Newport News is in the Harbor Bank collection. Sony selected a jazz painting for the CD cover "Modern Jazz Classics" In 2004, she received First prize at the October Studio 107 Norfolk, Virginia Splash of Color Show. Her painting of JoAnn Falletta was featured on the WNYC (NEW YORK) website on June 4, 2004. She is represented by Chasen Gallery in Richmond, Va, Shayne Gallery in Montreal, Canada and Gibson Gallery in Carmel, Ca.. In 2008 she had a solo show at the London Square Gallery in Norfolk, Va and in 2009 at the Ella Fitzgerald Theater in the Downing Gross Cultural Arts Center in Newport News, Va. She was nominated for an ALLI award in 2008

Ms. Coker's art is in many collections including Ernie Els, JoAnn Falletta, Tom Clancy, Marcel deSaulniers, Fuzzie Zoeller.

She has two grown children and lives in Newport News with her husband.