Meet ELSA VICTORIOS | Fine Art Artist & Master Art Director .Fort Lauderdale

We had the good fortune of connecting with ELSA VICTORIOS and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi ELSA, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
As a professional artist I wanted to open my business on an educational and cultural level. It was a challenge for me, I would educate people how important art is in our lives.
Art expands our minds by being more creative, both children and adults need it even as therapy, it frees us from stress and worries.
I took art classes since I was a child!
I studied fine arts at several art schools, as well as at the Fine Arts Faculty of the National University of Colombia.
I opened my studio VICTORIOS ART GALLERY AND STUDIO in January 2013. In Fort Lauderdale .
It was hard to start, but by working hard, with love and passion, I have achieved success..

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I consider myself a born artist. Since I was a child I was always very disciplined in my art classes, then I did my university studies.
Until I came to live in the USA!
As an immigrant my life changed my way of creating works of art and I totally changed my style.
My start in this country was not easy,
I did not speak the language and everything was new for me!
I went from being a classical art artist, which was very common and very conservative in Colombia, at that stage.
Then my vision for art changed completely. I integrated into different cultures of other immigrants and into the system of this beautiful country.
Then I became a surrealist art artist and little by little I became known with that style.
I began to be invited with my works of art to exhibit them in Germany and later, from other countries, then my paintings were published on the cultural page of the press of those countries.
I was realizing my dreams as an artist!
It was what I wanted!
That others will talk about my works in other languages. I was happy! .
I started winning awards and having more invitations to represent my country, Colombia and the USA, at art festivals in museums!
My big dream was to have my own studio and gallery!
What I managed to achieve with hard work, patience and a lot of passion.
Among my greatest challenges were the difficulties I had to go through when Hurricane Irma destroyed my studio overnight, I lost everything in 2017, September 12.
I started to rise again from the ashes, I found a place in Fort Lauderdale,
I had to start again, a few months later I got facial paralysis from which I am still recovering, so I focused on moving forward with the new studio and my students, children and adults, who gave me strength to keep going, but I was always making my artwork to continue in exhibitions.
In 2019 came another bad news, I was diagnosed with Non Hopkins cancer.
Thank God I recovered. I feel that thanks to my work I had a good recovery, because art helps as therapy and worries disappear when we are making art.
Art is Patience, love and discipline! This is what we must learn!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Florida is the sunshine state. We have many museums and galleries of Contemporary art, Restaurants and beaches.
I am in the Fort Lauderdale area, called the Venice of America, where I have my Gallery Victorios in Oakland. It is an area of ​​restaurants with very varied foods, for the different tastes of visitors, from Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean, Latina and many more.
I would also invite you to visit the Everglades and the area of ​​the Seminole tribe.
Also a ride on the taxi boats through the canals of Fort Lauderdale to see the beautiful mansions. We also have Orlando with its parks three hours from Fort Lauderdale.
It would be a wonderful adventure.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Over the years I have received recognition and awards due to the diversity of my work. As an international artist I have won awards at different art fairs and festivals in museums and other cultural events.
I have also had the honor of being appointed Jury President at the International Museum .(Art Festival, Haegeumgang Them Museum in Geoje.)Korea.
I am currently president of 2023 BIEAF (Busan International Art Festival. Korea).
I have also had recognition for my work in magazine publications and cultural books.
Awards and recommendations dignify us, but they also bring to our conscience the obligation to be an example of improvement and empowerment for others.
This year I received the award for Best International Artist at the FIAG festival
(Museo Fantapia International Art Festival).
I also received the Women of Power award for the second time. It is an award given to Latin women who have stood out in different categories as well as in the field of culture, journalists, businesswomen, arts, among others.
I always have gratitude and recognition to my teachers who passed through my life.
My parents made sure I had a good education and my teachers always taught me love and respect for work.
Honesty and loyalty to those who have contributed great effort and sacrifice to the education of arts and culture.

Image Credits
CP MAGAZINE From Mexico