“As a painter, I draw upon images not only from the external world, but those that come from my inner self. I have so many creative ideas that present themselves and I wonder if I could ever really manifest them all onto canvas during my lifetime. I have a great love for nature and am filled with inspiration to recreate my personal interpretation of what I feel and see. My dream life is very rich and interesting and I often wake up in the morning with scenes of future paintings flowing through my mind. My intention is to uplift the viewer into a higher place through my art. If we stop and take the time to contemplate the beauty around us, we can see what we haven't noticed before, hear what we haven’t listened to before, and touch that part of ourselves that shares oneness with all of life.”
Painting for me is my way of expressing gratitude for the gifts nature provides us. Being creative opens up my heart and allows more inspiration to flow into my work. I love to paint subjects that include landscapes, animals, skyscapes, dreamscapes, metaphysical paintings and also abstracts in various mediums, with oil painting and alcohol inks being my favorite , due to the richness of color I can achieve. I have been painting since I was a child and took my first oil painting lessons at the age of fifteen. My mother and grandfather were also artists so I was fortunate to be encouraged early on to be creative. I hope that those who view my paintings are uplifted. It is my goal to help others feel the connection with nature that I have felt through viewing my artwork. I am happy to share it with you!
Living in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with all its beauty and inspiration is a gift that any artist would appreciate. Vicki draws upon this inspiration for many of her paintings, as well as creating images that are more dreamlike and abstract in nature. She has been painting in oils for over 35 years and teaches painting lessons at Isothermal Community College, Tryon Painters and Sculptors, workshops, and classes out of her home studio in Tryon, North Carolina.
She began painting at an early age, and was encouraged to do so by her mother, who was artistic. At Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri, Vicki began her formal art studies, then later went on to earn a degree in art from The University of Southern Indiana. Additional courses in realistic drawing and plein-air painting were taken through The Atelier art school in Minneapolis in the 1990's. It was there that Vicki met her most inspiring teacher, Ceceile Hartleib, who she credits with teaching her more about painting than she ever learned from any other teacher.
Vicki moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2004 and began showing her work in galleries and participating in exhibitions as well as studio tours. It was living in Santa Fe (with all its gorgeous sunsets) that inspired her to create her “Above the Horizon” series of sunrise and sunset paintings. After spending six years in New Mexico, she and her husband moved to North Carolina in 2010. Here she continues to paint skyscapes, landscapes, dreamscapes, metaphysical paintings, and abstracts in oil, acrylic, watercolor and alcohol ink.
Vicki's paintings have been shown in over 80 exhibitions, many of them solo. Her paintings hang in private collections across the United States and she welcomes commissions. She is represented by galleries in North Carolina and South Carolina, as well as several online. Her website is www.vanvyncktfineart.com
1982-86 Hammond High School, Hammond, Indiana
1986-88 Cottey College, Nevada, Missouri A.A. Degree
1988-90 University of Southern Indiana, Evansville, Indiana B.S. Degree in Fine Art
1996-98 The Atelier art school in Minneapolis, Minnesota (part time classes in classical drawing and plein-air painting)