Victoria is an award winning artist who specialises animal art, both wildlife and domestic. She works predominantly in coloured pencil and pastel, and runs workshops in New Forest, as well as offering a pet-portrait service.
Growing up in the South of England I have always had a love for animals and drawing them became second nature as soon as I could hold a pencil. An art career beckoned and on leaving school I completed a Foundation Art course, qualified in Graphic Design and worked in this field for several years. My art remained a hobby until a personal event in my early 30's gave me the impetus to leave the 9-5 and pursue my passion. I started a successful pet portrait business which is ongoing to this day. I am also very much involved with the horse world, owning two of my own and working for several years as a horsemanship coach specialising in understanding equine behaviour. This fascination with how our animals behave, think, feel and interact underpins my work, especially my equine art. It's relatively easy to rely on the fancy, show stopping images as reference but finding beauty in the everyday is what challenges and motivates me, making art from those ordinary moments that are so often overlooked. I am also inspired by the structure of botanical art and love the simplicity of this style; taking a simple subject and enhancing and bringing to the fore all those hidden qualities. The boring black duck that can shine like a jewel with iridescence in the sun light, or the plain brown hen revealing the rich russets and incredible textures in her feathers - I love to be able to fully focus on those amazing details without any fuss or clutter. Going forward I am enjoying building my art business, with regular commissions, exhibitions and creation of my own artwork.
Associate Member of the Society of Equestrian Artists
Signature Member of the UK Coloured Pencil Society
The Association of Animal Artists
The Wildlife Art Society International
Awards
'Patiently Waiting' - Highly Commended and People's Choice vote in 2015 at the UKCPS Regional Exhibition
'Serenity' - Best Wild Animal and 3rd Reserve in Show at the UKCPS Open Exhibition at the Menier Gallery in 2016
'Clementine' - People's Choice vote the UKCPS Regional Exhibition 2017. It also made the top 200 from over 5000 entries in the SAA Artist of the Year 2017.
'You Scratch My Back...' - Best Picture at the 2017 UKCPS on-line exhibition.
'Patiently Waiting'  - Awarded Highly Commended in the 'Window to the Soul' category at the Association of Animal Artists 2018 Spring Exhibition