Artist's Biography

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Born in 1955, Toronto. Victoria’s childhood love of colour was what first took hold of her during her grade school art classes. Years later, in the early part of her enrolment at The Lord Elgin High School, Victoria was given the opportunity to be taught under naturalist and painter Robert Bateman just before his notable fame. After graduating high school, Victoria went travelling throughout Europe before returning to Canada to attend York University where she had the chance to work under abstract artist Doug Morton, after which she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours). Victoria, soon afterwards, packed her bags and travelled from Scandinavia to Romania, and then China to Japan. Later on, Victoria began studies to learn the spiritual practice of Reiki, where she excelled to the rank of master. Over the years Victoria has learned to apply the essences of the art of Reiki to her paintings, allowing a natural flow to take her from the paintings inception to its culmination, which reflects well in her floral paintings showing the evolutionary progress, with the initial impressions displayed as an aside. Her Nest Series asks a question to its viewer floating amidst an open sky, while cradling transitory bits of precious. 

 

Education and Training 

2012 McMichael Gallery/Haliburton School of Art ,Master Class , John Leonard
2010 Neilson Park Creative Centre, Brian Atyeo
2004 Haliburton School of the Arts, Lila Lewis Irving 
2003 Haliburton School of the Arts, John Leonard 
2002 Haliburton School of the Arts, Gary Blundell 
2001 Burlington Arts Centre, Burlington, Ontario. Painting. Instructor: Wayne Moore of Burlington, Ontario 
1999-2000 Burlington Arts Centre. Painting. Instructor: E. Robert Ross, land and sky scape painter 
1975-1979 York University, Honours Bachelor of Fine Arts. Instructors: Doug Morton, Eugene 
1969-1974 Lord Elgin High, Instructor: Robert Bateman 

 

One Woman Shows

2011 Wickham Art -Journey of the Spirit
2009 Sunrise Gallery, Hamilton
2008 Fireside Lounge, Burlington Art Centre
2005 Cannington House 
2004 Cannington House 
2000 Beans and Blossoms Restaurant, Oakville, Ontario 
1997 Sovereign House, Oakville, Ontario 

 

Group Shows 

2013 Burlington Art Centre Finalist Tall Tales
2013 Ottawa Art Festival 2011 ,2012 ,2013
2013 Toronto Outdoor Show,2004 to 20010,
2013 Jade Performing Arts Show. Burlington
2013 Burlington Art Centre Art Auction 2012 Earls Court Gallery,Hamilton
2012 McMichael Gallery , Progressions Show 
2012 Burlington Juried Show
2010 The Artist Project, Toronto
2009 Arts Burlington Juried Show 
2008 Arts Burlington Juried Show
2013 Ottawa Art Festival 2011 ,2012 ,2013
2013 Toronto Outdoor Show,2004 to 20010, 2013
2013 Jade Performing Arts Show. Burlington
2013 Burlington Art Centre Art Auction 2012 Earls Court Gallery,Hamilton
2012 McMichael Gallery , Progressions Show 
2012 Burlington Juried Show
2010 The Artist Project, Toronto
2009 Arts Burlington Juried Show 
2008 Arts Burlington Juried Show
2006 Artist’s Walk, Burlington Alliance
2006 Colour and Form Etobicoke Civic Centre
2006 BFAA Fine Arts Juried Show 
2006 Burlington Art Centre, Kaleidoscope
2006 Colour and Form Neilson Art Centre 
2006 Colour and Form Columbus Centre Toronto
2002-2006 Toronto Outdoor Art Show - Nathan Philips Square 
2005 Mississauga Art Gallery Juried Show 
2004 Colour and Form Society Hummingbird Centre 
2004 Cannington House Christmas Show 
2004 Perry Gallery BFAA Show 
2004 Colour and Form Society, Etobicoke Civic Centre Gallery in the Garden, Toronto 
2003 Colour And Form Society, Neilson Art Centre 
2003 Kaleidoscope, Burlington Art Centre 
2003 Spring Show, Cannington House, Oakville 
2002 Colour & Form Society, Etobicoke Civic Centre Show 
2002 Colour & Form Society, J.D.Carrier Show 
2002 Ciparis-Lennox Gallery, Toronto -Sordid Stems 
2002 Colour & Form Society, Hummingbird Centre 
2002 Oakville Art Society, Oakville Centre For The Performing Arts 
2001 Burlington Fine Arts, Christmas Show 

 

Awards 

2012 Burlington Fine Arts , Honourable Mention 
2011 Burlington Fine Arts , Honourable Mention
2010 Burlington Fine Arts Honourable Mention
2008 Arts Burlington Award Honourable Mention
2008 Pearl Award Burlington Art Centre Honourable Mention
2006 BFAA Juried Show - Jurors’ choice
2006 Arts Burlington - Honourable Mention 
2005 Visual Arts Mississauga - Honourable Mention 
2005 Arts Burlington Kaleidoscope - Honourable Mention 
2004 Colour and Form Society, Etobicoke Civic Centre - Juror’s Choice and People’s Choice 
2004 Arts Burlington Kaleidoscope- Honourable Mention 
2003 Arts Burlington Kaleidoscope- Honourable Mention 
2002 Arts Burlington Kaleidoscope - Juror’s Choice 
2002 Burlington Fine Arts Association - Annual Juried Exhibition 

 

Artist Statement

Victoria continues to explore the sky as a metaphor in which she floats disconnected nests representing the struggle between the soul’s need for attachment and the spirit’s need for freedom, a major theme in most relationships form the young child to the elderly. The nests are metaphors for a restless society unconnected to its roots. The feathering of one’s nest or the accumulation of belongings contrasts with the freedom of being unattached.
Found objects woven into or filling the nests create an uneasy mix of natural and synthetic elements. They are also a reminder of an environment displaced in an urban landscape. 

 

Memberships

Burlington Fine Arts- Program Chair
Oakville Art Council
Burlington Arts Council - Past President 
Hamilton Artists Inc

 

Press

2011 Burlington Art Centre Publication Cover
2010 Oakville Beaver ,Two Oakville Artists in Big Toronto Show
2006 Burlington Post, “Artists have joined forces for new gallery venture”
2006 Snap Burlington, “Art in Burlington”
2005 Burlington Arts Centre Newsletter, “Highlights” 
2005 Hamilton Spectator, “Around Town”
2004 Connections Show, Burlington Art Centre 
2004 Connections How, Green Hall, Itabashi, Japan 
2004 Hamilton Spectator, "Old Pro Pearce Tries New Tricks" 
2003 Hamilton Spectator, "Artists’ Work Fills Art Centre for Kaleidoscope" 
2003 Hamilton Spectator, Anniversary Exhibit Is All About Collaboration" 
2003 Hamilton Spectator, "Artworks Spring into the Season" 
2002 Hamilton Spectator, "Artistic License Abounds" 
2002 Toronto Star, "Going to the Wall..." 
2001 The Hamilton Spectator, "Art Lovers" 
2000 Toronto Star, " Walls to Contemplate" 
1998 Hamilton Magazine, "Heaven’s Gate" by Elizabeth Kelly. Major pictorial feature on the Silvestri mansion featuring Grand Renaissance dome mural 
1997-98 The Hamilton Spectator, "A Castle Called Home: Frank Silvestri’s abode is a $3 m Palace," by Adrain Humphreys 
The Hamilton Spectator, Burlington Homes section, "Artist Uses Walls as Her Canvass," by Alex Matheson 
1996-97 Oakville Beaver, Oakville’s community newspaper "Artist Reflects Neglected Moods of the Sky," by Carol Baldwin
"God’s eye view of Bronte Harbour" by Carol Baldwin
Success Weekly, a Halton regional business paper: "Have Paintbrush Will Travel" by Donna Green 

 

Corporate Commissions
2012 Boehringer Ingelhiem Burlington Mural 8’ x 25’ 
2009 St Anthony’s Polish Church, sky and decoration of Naive
2006 Euroline Appliances, Oakville 5’x6’ Wine country Mural
2003 Royal York Conservatory- Toronto, Ontario Mural 40’ x 8’ Country Scene 
2003 Innovus Burlington ,Ontario Mural 40’ x 10’ Forest Scene 
2001 Roslyn Retirement Home, Hamilton, Ont. Mural 35’ x9’,Garden Scene, 6’x 4’ Gage Park. Scene 7’x8’ Garden Scene 
1995-1999 Fortino’s Food Stores - large murals (50’ x 8’ to 100’ x 8’) Two murals each in eight stores in the Burlington-Hamilton, Ontario area. A collaboration with Deborah Pearce. 
1998 Century Daycare, Oakville, Ontario. Mural 10’ x 60’, jungle scene; farm scene 10’ x 60’. 
1996 Marriott Hotel (Airport), Mississauga, Ontario. Mural, New Orleans street scene.
1996 Royal LePage, Oakville, Ontario. Mural 30’ x 8’, Oakville town scene. 

 

Public Commissions 

2005 Eastview Public School, Mural in Entrance 15x10
2003 Collaborative Student Mural, Gladys Speers School . Oakville
2002 Carpenter House, Hospice 
2001 Grace Haven , Salvation Army, Hamilton, Ontario, Clouds with Mother and Child 
2000 John T. Tuck Public School, Burlington, Ontario. Cougar mural in children’s playground 
1999 Gladys Speers Public School, Oakville, Ontario. Mural 
1998 Brookdale Public School, Oakville, Ontario. Mural 
1998 Ronald McDonald House, Hamilton, Ontario. Mural for phone booth 
1998 Halton’s Women’s Place, Burlington, Ontario. Nature scene mural 
1997 Walton United Church, Oakville, Ontario. God’s eye view of Bronte Harbour 
1996 Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, Toronto, Ontario. Tromp l’oeil garden stone wall 

 

Public Collections

Degroote Business Centre , MacMaster University