I grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania and began drawing and painting at a very young age. My love of nature and wildlife grew into a desire to become a biological illustrator and I enrolled in Tyler School of Art, Temple University at the age of 17. On my first summer off from school, I visited the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, the oldest natural history museum in the USA. I thought, 'one day, I'll be able to work as a professional biological illustrator' -- an elusive dream at that moment in time. I did one day of volunteer work, and was hired as a paid biological illustrator the very next day! I worked briefly in the malacology department (the study of mollusks, animals with shells, like sea shells) and also was charged with exhibits design. Later I became a product designer in the fine giftware and collectibles field, creating hundreds of figurine and giftware designs over 30 years for companies like Franklin Mint, Lenox Collections, Danbury Mint, and others. I recently started oil painting again (after many years) and seek to create realistic impressions that also capture that a sense of wonder that inspired me to paint in the first place. Finally, I love taking photos of once-in-a-lifetime moments with my Nikon D300—photos that serve as a guide to both my paintings and travel stories.
Victoria Oldham joined Fine Art America on May 4th, 2014.
