Description
Victoria Coleman has always been a painter at heart and her life has been focused on her love of art and her versatile ability to create.
She spent most of her former career in the prop making industry after completing a degree in 3D Design at the Surrey Institute of Art and Design Farnham.
Working as part of a team in the film industry she made armour and costume props for Star Wars, feathered flamingos and spiked hedgehogs at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop (creators of the Muppets) for Alice In Wonderland, fabricated spiders for Harry Potter, cast adornments for the costumes of Russell Crowe in Gladiator, made dead bodies for Band of Brothers and learnt model making for Thomas the Tank Engine. The diversity for each job bringing forth different skills and understanding of materials which is exactly what fed her passion to make and relish in being part of a wonderfully fun innovative field.
Her final assignments found her painting life into fibre glass sculptures of Disney hero characters destined for their flag ship stores around the world.
However, her love of fabrication at Jim Henson’s Creature shop left a longing to design and make her own soft toys, sculptures and furnishings so with trepidation she left the security of the prop industry and under the name of Knitwangling Productions she ventured out on her own. These creations were full of fun and character and made beautifully with quality fabrics and charm but it didn’t take long until the painting itch developed into a craving and gradually demand for her paintings became a priority so after three years she packed away her sewing machine for the last time.
Now Victoria is based in Shropshire UK and works in her studio with her two wire hair dachshunds and Springer Spaniel for company. Inspired by her own dogs and looking at the lighter side of life she paints her favourite subjects with acrylic paints. The hunger for new experiences in art is still strong she is constantly delving into new mediums, she often uses mixed media, has developed her own recipe for paper clay and is venturing into oil painting in the quest to express her unique sense of wit and style. To keep right up to date follow her on Instagram.
She has been featured in magazines, on the radio and exhibits in galleries and art-fairs, she sells to UK and international collectors and works on private commissions. And it’s with tremendous gratitude for the likeminded people who enjoy and support her creations that she is (in her own words) ‘finally living the dream!’320
