Victoria Rickards (b. 1999, Miami, FL) is an abstract artist currently based in Columbia, SC. She delves into the interplay between fluid shapes, surrealism, and the veiled presence of hidden faces. Central to her work is the theme of deception, a captivating exploration of the notion that appearances can be deceiving. Through the incorporation of fluid forms and surrealist elements, she extends an invitation to the viewer to venture beyond the superficial and unearth concealed meanings and identities. Rickards' bold color palette and deft composition in both digital and physical acrylic paintings transcend labels, challenging traditional categorization. Her artistic evolution unfolds in stages of abstraction, beginning with faces and progressing into distorted bodies and maps. This examination explores the complexities of self-perception, addressing and challenging societal pressures surrounding body image and the mind. The maps in Victoria's work symbolize a metaphorical journey through both physical and emotional landscapes, representing internal terrains of thoughts, memories, and experiences. Her paintings function as an autobiography, offering a window into memories, passions, aversions, and everything in between. 

VICTORIA RICKARDS

Born             1999, Miami, FL, USA 

Resides       Columbia, SC, USA     

EDUCATION

2021             BFA, Theatre, Lighting Design and Technology, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA 

ART EXHIBITIONS

2024            Annual Meeting, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, USA

                    Don’t Step on Tarp!, Columbia, SC, USA

                    O.S.D. 3, Columbia, SC, USA

                    Yellow, Wonder, Columbia, SC, USA

                    Arts Renaissance, South Carolina Arts Foundation, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, USA

                    Neon Dreams: A Pop Art Affair, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, USA 

2023            Solana Artists in Residence, Art Basel, Miami, FL, USA 

                    Illusory World of Hidden Realities (solo exhibition), Columbia, SC, USA 

                    O.S.D. 2, Columbia, SC, USA

2022            O.S.D. 1, Columbia, SC, USA

THEATER EXPERIENCE

2021            Our World: Student Voices, College of Charleston - Playwright, Actor, Scenic Director 

2020            Dance Deconstructed, College of Charleston - Light Board Operator

                    Antigone, College of Charleston -Light Board Operator

2019             A Lie of the Mind, College of Charleston - Run Crew

                    The Lady Demands Satisfaction, College of Charleston - Run Crew

2018            An Enemy of the People, College of Charleston - Actor

COLLECTIONS

Solana Foundation, Floor, Solana Art Week 2023

Victoria Rickards features in various national and international private collections

SELECTED PRESS

Solana Foundation, “Solana creator community thrives at Art Basel Miami Beach” in Online Resource (2023) at [https://solana.com/news/solana-creator-art-basel-miami-beach] consulted on Solana Foundation, 15 December, 2023

Forbes, “Forbes: Web3 Travel Guides: Top Digital Art And Crypto Events At Miami Beach Art Basel” in Online Resource (2023) at [https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/11/29/web3-travel-guides-top-digital-art-and-crypto-events-at-miami-basel/?sh=272d7888192d] consulted on  29 November, 2023

MEDIA

Curtis Winston, Feature, ABC Columbia, Columbia, SC, February 29, 2024.

Intisar Faulkner, Feature, WIS 10, Columbia, SC, February 28, 2024.

Whitney Sullivan, Feature, News 19, Columbia, SC, February 27, 2024.

Intisar Faulkner, Feature, WIS 10, Columbia, SC, February 21, 2024.

[email protected]