Spokane artist, Victoria Brace, was born and trained in Russia, where she graduated from the Moscow College of Art. Her work can be found in private collections across Russia, Western Europe and the United States. As a child she was kept busy with a sketchbook and a pencil. Her paintings are deep, with rich colors. Her subjects are ageless and wise, with a story to be told by each of those portrayed. “As I paint, I find that colors carry emotions and tell stories. The brush strokes build up textures, conceal or enhance the previous layers, and things start happening under the surface, as if the painting takes on a life of its own,” she said. Her paintings of downtown Spokane and the surrounding areas, bring alive the shapes and textures of the place.

She was exposed to art in old towns, monasteries and art museums. She went on to Moscow College of Art, earning a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting in 1987. After college, she taught and sold her work at an art club in Moscow for several years. In 1999 Victoria moved to Spokane and worked in the computer graphics industry, doing graphics for games.

“For a while, painting was put on the back burner, but I always knew that one day I had to go back to oils. Painting is an obsession,” she said, “It’s like a chronic disease … never goes away.” Victoria left the computer graphics industry and dedicated herself to full time painting in 2008.

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Her paintings are deep, with rich colors. Her subjects are ageless and wise, with a story to be told by each of those portrayed. “As I paint, I find that colors carry emotions and tell stories. The brush strokes build up textures, conceal or enhance the previous layers, and things start happening under the surface, as if the painting takes on a life of its own,” she said. Her paintings of downtown Spokane and the surrounding areas, bring alive the shapes and textures of the place.

She was exposed to art in old towns, monasteries and art museums. She went on to Moscow College of Art, earning a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting in 1987. After college, she taught and sold her work at an art club in Moscow for several years. In 1999 Victoria moved to Spokane and worked in the computer graphics industry, doing graphics for games.

“For a while, painting was put on the back burner, but I always knew that one day I had to go back to oils. Painting is an obsession,” she said, “It’s like a chronic disease … never goes away.” Victoria left the computer graphics industry and dedicated herself to full time painting in 2008.

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Resume

Born: 1967 Moscow, Russia

Education:

1987   B.F.A. in painting from Moscow College of Art in Memory of 1905, Moscow, Russia

Exhibitions:

2015    - New Paintings, solo show, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - New Work by 13 Artists, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

2014    - Small Artworks Invitational, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

2013    - New Paintings, solo show, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - New Work by 13 Artists, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - Small Artworks Invitational, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

2012    - Small Artworks Invitational, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

2011    - Small Artworks Invitational, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

- People, Places and Things, solo show, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

- New Works by 12 Artists, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

- Art Auction, Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA

2010    - Small Works Invitational, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - Victoria Brace and Katherine Nelson – Recent Works, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - New Works by 12 Artists, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - Works from the Heart Art Auction, Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane, WA

2009    - Small Artworks Invitational, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - New Works by 12 Artists, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - Spokane Club, Spokane, WA, solo show

            - Best of the Basement, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

2008    - Small Artworks Invitational, The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d’Alene, ID

            - ArtFest, Spokane, WA, Painting Merit Award

            - Gellhorn Gallery, Spokane, WA, solo show

2007    - Art on the Green, Coeur d'Alene, ID, Juried Show Award

            - Pottery Place Plus, Spokane, WA

2005    - Bold Expressions, Juried Show, Sacramento Fine Arts Center, Carmichael, CA

            - River Ridge Association of Fine Arts Annual Open Juried Show, Spokane, WA,

2nd place in Oil Category

2004    - All Media Juried Show, Chase Gallery, Spokane, WA,

        1st place in Oil Category.

1993    - "Annual Fine Art Show", Malaya Gruzinskaya 28, Moscow, Russia

1992    - "Golden Brush", Central House of Artists, Moscow, Russia

            - "Annual Fine Art Show", Malaya Gruzinskaya 28, Moscow, Russia

1990    - "Annual Spring Show", Kuznetsky Most Gallery, Moscow, Russia

1988    - "Young Artists of Russia", Kuznetsky Most Gallery, Moscow, Russia

1987    - Student Group Show, Municipal Exhibition Hall, Moscow, Russia