This artist paints seascapes inspired by her childhood in Malta and from an array of photographs taken during various trips to the British coastline. Ramsha Vistro delves deeper ▸
As a five-year-old, Victoria Obolensky used to watch the BBC’s Take Hart, completely captivated by Tony Hart’s artworks. She submitted a painting of a palm tree by the sea, at age 10, which was chosen to be televised in one of the episodes. Since then, her artistic abilities and her love for the arts have only developed.
Although she did art at A Level, she didn’t pursue it as a career until later on in life. At 17, she worked for Homes and Gardens magazine in the publishing department, before moving on to work for Elle, Tatler, GQ and Vanity Fair. “It was whilst working at Conde Nast that I also did a part-time bachelor’s degree. I financed my degree by working in GQ’s art department.”
Victoria attended the Chelsea College of Art aged 23, as a mature student, studying a foundation course before going to Camberwell College of Art to do a BA in Graphic Design. “After graduating, I focused on photography and moved to the South of France in 2001 to pursue it. I was invited to exhibit in Monte Carlo; it was there that Prince Albert II of Monaco purchased a couple of my pieces.
“When I returned to the UK in 2004, I began to teach art on a freelance basis. I rented a studio in Chelsea and ran numerous creative workshops for both children and adults. I also travelled to Italy to teach art and take photographs.”
She uses such photographs as reference images to paint from, when she’s back in her studio – a room in her detached Victorian house in west London, encapsulated in high ceilings and adorned with large bay windows, with morning light pouring in and old, large oak trees for a view. “The walls are white; the floors have original floorboards and there is nothing but paint and canvases in the studio; I can’t work surrounded by clutter. My cat, Archie will often come and sleep next to me whilst I paint. The peace and quiet is tangible and when I’m totally absorbed in the painting process, I forget about my surroundings completely.
“I am yet to paint en plein air, mainly because I really feel the cold. Last year, I went to the Isle of Wight and took hundreds of photos of the sea. When I go abroad or am visiting the coast, I take a lot of photographs while seeking new inspiration.”
Victoria hopes to create art “which works in terms of realism, composition, colour and balance,” and wants viewers to feel “inspired and uplifted.” When she was younger, Vi
