We were lucky to catch up with Victor Selin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Victor thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
When I was barely tall enough to reach the piano bench, I lived in the soft glow of the opera house wings, where my father conducted grand arias and my mother taught young choristers their first scales. Music wasn’t just what we did — it was the air we breathed. By age six, I was giving my own recitals on our family’s grand piano, each performance a blend of my parents’ encouragement and the thrill of sharing sound.
In high school, a chemistry set caught my attention, and I found myself just as captivated by crystal lattices as by musical motifs. I dove into science through a master’s in chemistry and a PhD in materials science, and today I split my days between designing medical‑device innovations in R&D and sketching in my studio. But every evening, I returned to the canvas, where I painted abstract, flowing symbols in metallic gold on black backgrounds forms inspired by musical notation and scientific patterns alike. I later christened these compositions Auruglyphs, a name that blends Aurum (Latin for gold) with “glyph”, capturing both the material and the mysterious language of my marks.
Last year I realized that balancing those two worlds lab and studio, data and melody wasn’t just possible but essential. I continue to develop life‑saving devices by day, and by night I exhibit my Auruglyphs and perform on Irish flute with fellow musicians across Austin, Dallas, Houston, and College Station. In an ever‑changing world, this dual path rooted in both scientific rigor and artistic freedom feels like the truest expression of who I’ve always been.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Art has been my constant companion, first through the music I absorbed backstage as my father conducted opera and my mother guided choristers, then in the gold‑on‑black calligraphy I began sketching during intense scientific meetings: each flowing line a word in a secret language that mesmerizes everyone who sees it. That curious feedback questions about the shapes, their origins, and hidden messages taught me that this abstract style was something truly unique, a visual vocabulary born of emotion and inquiry.
Today I channel that same creative spirit into two main directions: flat black surfaces painted with real gold or gold ink to form organic, nature‑inspired symbols, and small three‑dimensional installations where those calligraphic forms are frozen in clear epoxy resin. Limiting myself to metallic gold against deep black forces me to discover new ways to express mood and meaning, whether crafting a corporate statement piece, a lyrical accent for a music bar, or a playful artwork for a child’s room. My recent commission combined a 2D golden silhouette with glinting 3D resin elements — a perfect example of how palette constraints can spark fresh invention.
Inspiration for me arrives like a breath of fresh air — unpredictable and exhilarating. It can come from the interplay of shadows on a building, the cadence of a conversation, or a musician’s fleeting pause. My training in materials science informs every decision, from selecting the ideal ink viscosity and surface tension to mastering resin curing and refractive qualities. That blend of technical know‑how and artistic impulse creates genuine magic on canvas and in resin.
I accept only a handful of commissions at a time, diving deeply into each idea so every piece becomes a true masterpiece. What began as birthday gifts for friends has grown into bespoke artworks that adorn boardrooms, music lounges, and homes — each one an ornament that resonates day and night. My ideal clients seek more than decoration; they want an elegant, emotional anchor for their space.
At the heart of my work is a mission to connect our deepest feelings and inner child with a visual language that’s open, honest, and sentimental. Those who know me say my art is a direct extension of my soul — personal yet modest, strict yet loving. I’m proud of the support I’ve received from friends, musicians, and the art community, and of exhibiting in “Beyond the Frame” at Art for The People Gallery, Austin less than six months after refocusing on art. Collaboration fuels me — every photo shoot or joint project feels like staging a movie or comedy, with all of us as creators, laughing, imagining, and bringing something extraordinary to life.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me is the pure, unfiltered transmission of myself through every brushstroke and gesture. When I lay a line of gold ink onto black paper or suspend a calligraphic form in resin, I’m not hiding behind any façade — I’m exposing my most honest emotions, my memory of music and my scientific curiosity, and the freedom to be exactly who I am. That sense of vulnerability — like standing without a second skin — is simultaneously thrilling and a little dangerous, because it leaves me utterly exposed. Yet it’s also effortless: there are no games to play, no masks to juggle. I simply am. « Je suis réel, je suis. »
Because I offer that raw openness, viewers can’t help but feel the energy radiating from the work. They see more than shapes and symbols; they sense a living conversation, a heartbeat of someone unafraid to speak their truth in gold and shadow. Knowing that this authenticity resonates — that it captivates and connects people — is the ultimate reward of my creative life.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I treated social media the way I approach any creative or scientific project by doing my research and then building a multi‐channel ecosystem around my work. From day one I established presences on Instagram, then TikTok, and Facebook to reach different audiences — young collectors on TikTok, art enthusiasts on Instagram, and a broader demographic on Facebook. I didn’t try to learn it all from online courses; instead, with time, I recruited a small team of friends — photographers, videographers, reel creators, and social media specialists — whose energy and expertise I could feed with my artistic vision. Together we held real conversations about strategy, experimented with formats, and iterated quickly, so that every post felt like an authentic exchange rather than a broadcast.
My secret has been relentless consistency and a willingness to evolve. I treat my feed like a living lab: I’m always tweaking my visual style, testing new materials (pure gold leaf or gold ink, epoxy textures), and staying alert to emerging features and platforms. At the same time, I lean on my scientific training to analyze what works — tracking engagement, refining hashtags, and optimizing posting times — so each piece of content delivers maximum impact. Above all, I view social media as a collaborative canvas: by surrounding myself with talented friends who bring their own ideas and energy, I stay inspired, stay current, and keep growing my audience one genuine connection at a time.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://noirgold.art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noirgold.art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victor.v.selin
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@noirgold_art
Image Credits
Anastasiya Ilinskaya