Renate Bumgarner (March 22, 1939–May 3, 2026) was a longtime resident and iconic artist in Gloucester and Mathews, Virginia.

Renate was an award-winning European-born artist who studied art in Frankfurt, Germany, and later in Wurzburg at the Institute of Art, while working for the U.S. military in Germany. She was an instructor at the Education Center at Schweinfurt.

In 1976, Renate and her new husband moved to Virginia, there she continued her art studies at Thomas Nelson Community College and worked with many well-known artists in the area. At that time, she started working with stained glass and continued working in oils, watercolors and pastels. She has received many awards at shows and exhibitions over the past years–too many to list. In 1996 she became a widow and moved to the Middle Peninsula. She continued to display her works in local galleries and select galleries in Europe. She was often shown in Arts on Main, and a co-op gallery in Mathews.

Renate was adept in all mediums but her favorite was oil painting. She had a deep love of teaching and was an instructor in beginning and intermediate oil painting. She suffered from congestive heart failure, but continued her class until she could no longer stand for any length of time.

She started an Artists Guild and was President. It included artists from not only Gloucester, but Rappahannock and Northern Neck.

She was feisty, witty, stubborn, sarcastic, loving and always a true friend to those who knew her. She will be deeply missed.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Glen Bumgarner, who was the love of her life. A son, Harald Eisenmenger, still resides in Germany.

A Celebration of Life will be held for her friends at Art/Work, 6769 Main Street, Gloucester, on June 6 from 4- 6 p.m. Please bring food to share, photos of Renate if you have them, and stories!