meet victoria johnson, known as the sketchie beast
an artist of the digital persuasion
Born, raised and living in Southern California, the diversity of its topography and culture have been fertile breeding grounds for my artistic imagination. With this imagination I create image works; sometimes for a living, sometimes for fun, always for passion.
There was a time when I painted and sketched for enjoyment. Shortly after earning an Associates degree in Commercial Art & Design from a local tech college, my career took off as a visual communications specialist which eventually led to my becoming an independent designer of print and web media for a wide range of industry (www.vicktracey.com). Along the way I traded brushes and canvas for design softwares and hard deadlines. It seemed my days of creating art for pleasure were over.
Until being gifted a digital pen and pad. The Sketchie Beast was unleashed, running full throttle (as I do with every new pursuit) which led to my being accepted into my first prestigious fine art show in Laguna Beach.
As a digital artist, I don't normally find inspiration in traditional themes or represent any one theme. My works are the visual fruits of my varied, and sometimes random, interests. There are no formalities I follow. Art should be a rule breaker as it's the rebellious nature of many an artist that sparks the imagination. Art should shake you, wake you, shock, evoke and provoke you. It shouldn't just speak, sometimes it should scream. Or find humor, like love, in all the wrong places. That’s the beauty of fine art compared to my career in design; there is no wrong way to represent and whether it represents something beautiful or ugly, it's truly in the eye of the beholder.
As a side passion I belly dance, an art form I fell in love with at first lesson. You will find my works liberally seasoned with its influence and exoticism.
Being a neophyte to the world of fine art, I'm thrilled to begin this new chapter in my creative story. Let the journey continue.
