OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — You may have seen her work in North Omaha or the Old Market or at NFM (depending on when you're reading this article). Avry Victor is an emerging artist.
- Her work is colorful. Victor's embrace of the 'imperfect' is another signature.
- "I like the imperfections.There's some artists that like to paint things more realistic or idealized, which is totally fine. I strive to make what I see. If you have a gap tooth, I'm gonna put the gap tooth in. I think that's really cool," she exclaimed.
- Victor is part of NFM's Celebration of Black Culture. A representative tells Mary Nelson that, last year, they saw a 55% increase in revenue from the artwork - which reflects community support.
Continue reading for the broadcast transcript of this story.
She studied art in Lincoln.
"I started as graphic designer, and then, I took a print making class and it was way more hands on. And I was like... aw, I've just gotta go back to what I love," Avry Victor smiled.
Which, for her, is creating by hand.
"I like the imperfections. There's some artists that like to paint things more realistic or idealized, which is totally fine," she said. "I strive to make what I see. If you have a gap tooth, I'm gonna put the gap tooth in. I think that's really cool!"
Case in point - her mural at Malcom's Place at 29th and Spencer. Also in North Omaha, Victor partnered on a mural at The Highlander. She also made a canvas of a utility box in the Old Market at 13th and Howard.
Color is a thread.
"I do a lot of portraits, so I do people. And I like looking deeper at whatever my reference photo is and finding the different colors in it. So not just peach for skin tone, but the blues, the purples, the greens. I really love bringing color out in skin tones," she explained.
At home, she's working on a series for a fellowship: her boyfriend and her father - inspired by her grandfather.
"The western-themed clothes. And then, that's actually my Papaw's whip," she gestured to a painting.
Her Papaw, Joseph James Victor, was a cowboy in Louisiana from the 1950s until he passed away in 2018. Celebrating Black history means celebrating her family's own.
She often paints barefoot.
"And, I'm always on the ground, which is horrendous for my posture," she added.
But, it's symbolic in how she and her work are positively grounded.
The 4th Annual Celebration of Black Culture at NFM will be on display inside the showroom January 30 through March 2.
The artists are all local and represent a variety of styles. Here are their names and socials handles:
Avry Victor @yoavry
Shawnequa Linder @artdork.art
Jevon Woods @jewoods
Jada Messick @jadamessick
Shawntae Brown @sbrownullustration
As a tool, a representative with NFM says the showcase works. Last year, they saw a 55% increase in revenue from the artwork - for which they point to community connection and support for the artists.
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