Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Veedell.

Hi Victoria, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
From a young age, I was always creating—whether molding animals out of clay, drawing imaginary worlds, crocheting hats and scarves for my dolls, or designing my own clothes in high school. My hands needed to be busy, always immersed in some form of creative expression. College marked a turning point where I began to focus more seriously on art, especially painting. My painting professor recognized my dedication, and in my last semester, I served as an unofficial TA to the freshman painters. Despite my passion, the concept of being an artist was still nebulous to me, with no clear path laid out. After graduating with a BFA in painting, I spent a transformative summer in France, including a month at the traditional painting atelier, Ecole Albert Defois, in the Loire Valley. There, I realized formal painting wasn’t for me, and I spent most of my time riding a bike, photographing, and painting small watercolor studies of the countryside. This experience ignited my love for using the landscape as inspiration.
Returning to my hometown in Houston, I had to figure things out. I worked at a contemporary art gallery, learning the behind-the-scenes of the art business. Shortly after, I became a studio assistant for several artists and worked at a non-profit art center. These experiences taught me how to navigate studio work and the business aspects of being a professional artist.
In 1994, I moved to New York City to attend graduate school at NYU. After a year, I decided to take a break and worked at a new gallery specializing in Danish Contemporary Art. The gallery, located in the famous building on West Broadway, later moved to Chelsea. I worked there for five years, during which time I juggled work and my art, painting in my spare time.
Soon after leaving the gallery, I moved to Tokyo. This marked the beginning of my full-time career as an artist. Free from the constraints of a visa that didn’t allow me to work, I spent my days painting and traveling around Japan. This period was invaluable for my growth, allowing me to dedicate full days to painting and attend my first artist residencies at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, VT and Chitraniketan in Kerala, India.
After two years in Japan, I moved to San Francisco, where my confidence and career flourished. I found a community and an audience of collectors for my work. Here, I continued my commitment to painting full-time, drawing inspiration from nature around California and the many international artist residencies I attend. My journey has been filled with travel, learning, and constant creation, leading me to where I am today as an atmospheric landscape painter. I show my work in museums, galleries and art centers in and around California.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. A big challenge for me is being shy and struggling with self-confidence. I continue to work on fighting imposter syndrome. In the art world, you must continually find ways to work through rejections and fears. Often, it’s me getting in my own way. It’s a continuous struggle to market and sell my work in ways that feel authentic to me. What worked in the past doesn’t always work now, and it can be challenging to keep up the momentum and energy. In the early days, figuring out which opportunities were a good fit for me and could move my career forward was a daunting task. Even now, it’s difficult to face rejections from opportunities that I really want and believe my work is well-suited for. I’ve always kept my rejection letters, maintaining a running tally of opportunities I’ve applied for, noting which ones resulted in yeses, which ones got no’s, and those that received no reply at all. Sometime I wonder how I kept going in the early days, but then I look back at all the art I made, exhibited and sold; and feel better about it all.
The journey is filled with moments of self-doubt and frustration, but each setback is a learning experience. The struggle to balance creating art and managing the business side can sometimes feel overwhelming. Yet, these challenges have also made me more resilient and determined to pursue my passion, continuously adapting and finding new ways to connect with my audience.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an atmospheric landscape painter with over 30 years of experience, specializing in capturing the subtle interplay of light and color on forms in nature. My work is known for its ethereal quality, transporting viewers into serene, otherworldly landscapes. I draw inspiration from my travels and the diverse environments I’ve explored, as well as the local beauty of San Francisco and the Bay Area. I try to immerse myself fully in the environments I paint to form an emotional response. Whether it’s spending hours in nature observing the changing light or traveling to distant artist residencies to experience the quality of light in different geographical locations and cultures, I bring a deep sense of place and atmosphere to my work. The painting style I developed over the years allows me to go deeper into the psychology of the interplay of light and color, allowing me to create vibrant and evocative landscapes that draw you in. The goal is to create art that reflects the beauty of the natural world and resonate emotionally with those who experience it. I strive to create pieces that offer a moment of escape and reflection, inviting viewers to pause and appreciate the fleeting moments of beauty that surround us.
I’m most proud of my resilience and adaptability, navigating the challenges of the art world while staying true to my vision. As I continue to make new connections and evolve my art practice, making my journey as an artist both inspiring and relatable.

What matters most to you? Why?
My family matters most to me, and ensuring they feel loved and nurtured is my top priority. I show up in my studio and persist in my career to demonstrate to my daughter the importance of women setting goals, taking chances, and doing what they love. Equally important to me is the environment and doing my part to care for the world. A significant part of why I paint is to share the journey of noticing—of being truly present in the moment and acknowledging the subtle yet profound beauty that surrounds us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://veedell.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/victoria_veedell
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-veedell
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@VictoriaVeedell

Image Credits
spencerbrownphoto Donald Felton Photography<br>