Meet Victoria Lopez | Artist & Animator

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

Hi Victoria, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
To me, the primary factor in determining whether to persist or give up is reflecting on why you started in the first place.

Passion fuels perseverance, and if your goals align with your values and bring you joy and fulfillment, then continuing on the path might be the right choice for you.

Another crucial aspect to consider when making this decision is always visualizing the endpoint. This step is extremely important in deciding if an idea or goal is worth pursuing.

I also create a list of pros and cons to assess if what I am pursuing aligns not only with my heart but also with my mind. If the list leans towards the pros, I am more likely to choose that path. This list can take days to complete as I thoroughly evaluate every possible scenario.

Finally, seeking guidance from mentors, professionals, and sometimes family is invaluable. My parents, in particular, offer me great perspective, insight, and encouragement to make decisions.

To summarize, I encourage you to regularly assess your goals, measure your progress, and stay true to yourself and your passion while remaining open to adjusting course if needed. Often, my most rewarding achievements have come after facing moments of doubt and challenge but persisting through them to achieve my goals.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I believe what distinguishes my work from others is both its content and presentation. As an animator, mastering the art of drawing is crucial, but equally important is the ability to breathe life into still images by arranging them in a sequence to create the illusion of life.

My creations are never static; and always showcase movement. I present them in intricately designed devices I refer to as ‘Motion Boxes,’ offering audiences a fresh visual and auditory experience. This concept stemmed from my profound passion for the history of motion pictures and my desire to exhibit motion in a physical space, without relying on a TV screen.

Inspired by the Kinetoscope, an early motion picture exhibition device by Thomas A. Edison and William Dickson, I’ve modernized and reimagined it’s concepts, resulting in a novel iteration of this device. Now, with the flip of a switch, I can transform still images into moving pictures – it’s truly magical!

Overall, I’m tremendously excited about the potential of this art form. I believe it’s a unique offering in the art market, catering to an audience eager to explore art in innovative ways and be captivated by it’s distinctive presentation. My goal is to reignite a passion for early motion picture devices within my audience, fostering curiosity about cinema, photography, art, and animation. Ultimately, I aim to cultivate a deeper appreciation for these mediums among my audience.

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?
Some of my favorite spots in Miami:

-Miami Design District
-Art Murals in Wynwood
-Halouver Beach
-Surfside Walking Path
-Lincoln Road
-Miami Children’s Museum
-Philip and Patricia Frost Science Museum
-Perez Art Museum Miami
-Institute of Contemporary Art

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am immensely grateful to my parents, who have given me their unwavering support since I began my journey as a very young artist. They not only encouraged me to pursue my passions but also instilled in me the discipline necessary to achieve them. My mother, an incredible artist herself, played a pivotal role in enhancing my art skills and pushing my creativity to new heights. Meanwhile, my father, with his remarkable business skills, helped me organize my thoughts and dreams and turn them into reality. Their support has been instrumental in getting me to where I am today, and I owe them an immense debt of gratitude.

I’d also like to express my gratitude to Payal Tak and Graciela Montich for giving me my first opportunity to exhibit my art to the public. Payal, an exceptional artist and the owner of Lucid Art Gallery in Miami, Florida, wholeheartedly embraced my idea for the artwork collection titled ‘MOTIONS’. Despite having only a prototype to show at the time—a robust and experimental piece—she believed in me without hesitation or doubt.

Graciela, an outstanding artist and curator, has been a long-time friend and mentor to me. Her unwavering belief in my work led her to introduce me to Payal, which eventually led to my first gallery showing in Miami’s Design District—a momentous milestone in my career.

I am eternally grateful to both Payal and Graciela for boosting my self-esteem and inspiring me to continue pursuing my artistic ideas. They provided me with an audience and a place in a prestigious gallery, affirming that my art deserved such recognition.

Website: https://www.lopiart.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lopiart

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria95lopez/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lopiart