Artist Spotlight : The One With Victoria Curling Eriksson

Victoria Curling Eriksson is the brainchild behind the brand of the same name. An artist by trade, she proves that it is never too late to follow your passions and answer to your true calling.

If you don’t want to be inspired to follow your dreams, stop reading now…

Tell us the journey that lead you to launching your brand as a full time artist…

I started my career rather late in life, at the age of 30 yrs old.

I originally studied Biotechnology at university and immediately upon graduating started working in Clinical development for a Clinical Research Company. This gave me a possibility to travel internationally, which I loved. However, after some years I really found that I wanted to work with something more creative. By this time I had moved to Sweden and worked for a Swedish company. I decided to apply to Art school in Sweden, not actually thinking that I would get accepted, but I received a place and stayed there for 2 years.

I wasn’t sure at this stage if I would be able to work with Art full time, so during the 2 year gap between having my daughters, I studied to be a certified life coach.

Once I started back to work I found it rather hard to juggle starting a company with coaching and also painting, so gradually I started to work more and more with my painting until today, I work only as an artist.

I still love reading coaching and personal development books, but this is more for my own interest.

How do you want people to feel when they look at your work?

When people look at my paintings, I really want them to be able to have a moment of reflection. To find a moment of calm where they have a moment to feel whatever emotion the painting brings up for them personally.

Sometimes, I even wish I didn’t need to name the paintings, so that people can really make up their own mind about what it means to them or what they see in an artwork.

One of the best compliments ever was from a young lady who had been looking at one of my paintings in an exhibition for quite some time, when I approached her to talk to her she got really tearful and explained that it had brought up such a strong emotion in her. It was a painting of a dark storm with the light of the sky breaking through and the painting was named Hope.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an artist so far?

I think the biggest challenge for me as an artist so far was actually believing in myself as an artist as it wasn’t my first career. It took me a while to really believe in myself and actively market myself as an “Artist”. It’s always hard in the beginning to know when you feel “ ready” to call yourself an artist.

Another challenge was that I found it rather lonely not having any colleagues or other artists to brainstorm and share feedback. So together with another artist friend, we started a small collective (today there are 7 of us) that meet regularly and share feedback, sometimes we exhibit together as a larger group or in smaller groups. Even though most of our work is purely individual it is such an energy boost when we have our meetings and share experiences and ideas.

This is something that I really recommend to other artists to try and find a group nearby and if there isn’t one, then maybe try and create one!

In your opinion, what sets you apart from other artists?

I paint very intuitively, and start with a colour palette that I want to paint with, so carefully choose the tones and colours and then I start. I always start on a canvas that is painted black or dark grey as I often paint large expanses of white skies and this gives a different depth. So once I start painting, I never know how it will look until it is finished.

Looking back since launching the brand, is there anything you would do differently?

Looking back I think that I would try to worry less about what people might think and just do it! I think that “over-thinking” held me back quite a bit in the past but today I have a very different attitude and if a pathway is tricky, I just try and find new paths.

The artists way isn’t always a very straight forward way so I actually try not to be hard on myself and accept that its always evolving.

How much has social media played a role in the success of your brand?

I think social media has been a really wonderful help for marketing my artwork. Personally, I love Instagram as a mode to show my artwork. It’s a wonderful tool for reaching so many interested people from all over the world. There really is no limit to how many you can reach.

Instagram has both brought me in contact with magazines and also direct sales to customers.

I also think having a clear and “up to date” website is really important, rather like a reference library so people can see clear examples of your artwork.

What is your go-to quote when lacking motivation?

If you can dream it, you can do do it.

What advice would you offer to aspiring artists that want to launch their own brand?

Don’t give up !

Starting out as an Artist can be really challenging, it takes confidence and at times you can feel rather vulnerable showing your work to strangers or trying to reach out to galleries and exhibitions but if you are passionate about wanting to be an artist, then just follow your own path. Give yourself time to find your own style and your own way of working and trust the process!

If you feel good about it then confidence will shine through for others to see.

Don’t be put off if you get rejected from galleries or exhibitions. Keep trying but at the same time make sure that you have some good photos to post online via instagram and make sure that you are “ out there” with your work.

Our readers love to travel, what destination is your all time favourite and why?

Oh it’s really hard picking one place as I love traveling and visiting different countries and experiencing different cultures, each place having its own different charm but if I had to choose one place I have been to, I think it might have to be the Maldives.

The amazing tranquility and beautiful beaches and being able to snorkel, dive and experience a whole new world underwater. A magical world of colours and different creatures and fish, it’s just amazing.

We visitied many years ago for our honeymoon but we are planning to return this year to celebrate our 20 year anniversary.

What’s next for the business?

My next goal and plan is to have a connection with a gallery in England (most probably London), I still feel so British even though I have lived abroad for over 20 years now and there is always something so special about sending my sold artworks to customers in England. A lot of my inspiration comes from the English countryside, so it would be really special to have that professional link in England

What does self care mean to you?

Self care to me personally means taking time do what I love and look after myself as best I can. This includes making sure that I get enough regular sleep and not going to bed too late.

Taking time for a daily walk out in the nature where I consciously try and remember to be present and breathe.Playing tennis regularly is also self care for me!

I love spending time with family and friends and my friendships are of great value to me. I still have wonderful friendships with friends that live in Bath where I grew up and a familiarity and laughter that’s worth gold.

Allowing myself a 20 minute relaxation / afternoon nap if I am tired and not feeling guilty about it is also on my self care list!