Victoria Franks Rios is a mostly self-taught artist from Shreveport, Louisiana. It was here that she and her late brother, Dean, learned about visual art at a very young age from their late mother, Monna Franks. Monna was an art enthusiast, supporter of local talent and possessed a deep appreciation and affection for Louisiana folk artists, for which she was an avid collector of Clementine Hunter and Mc 5cent Jones.

Through these cultural experiences for which Victoria was exposed to while accompanying her mother on many art seeking excursions, she began to dabble in sketch, pastels and painting. Victoria embraced these opportunities, engaging with working artists along the way. Garnering inspiration from informal study under some of her favorite artists, Victoria has evolved as a painter in mixed media. Her work is wide in breadth and ranging in figurative, portrait, nudes, still life, animals, traditional landscape, abstract landscape, broad abstract and representational. She works in acrylic and oils, often applying metallic elements, gold leaf, purposeful texture like sand, dirt and rock, semiprecious stones, crystals, natural metals, shells, wood, broken glass, and a myriad of other recycled objects she collects. Victoria has been known to work with unusual tools to craft her works, such as dry used paint brushes, baking tools, cooking utensils, small gardening tools, syringes, scalpel knives, and personal grooming tools. Like many artists she produces work through phases; such as tree, land and waterscape, psychedelic landscape, portrait, as well as commissioned conceptual pieces incorporating creative elements of businesses with their logos. Recently she completed an abstract phase in which she also honed her experience with resin.

Over the years, Victoria enjoyed informally learning and studying from many artists. However the three who inspired her most are Debbie Ungersault (portrait), Lani Liuzza (landscape) and Ashley Palmer (abstract and representational).

Most of her life she has dedicated to the visual arts as volunteer, fundraising supporter, programmer, philanthropist, collector and now artist. She has served on boards and chaired numerous events on behalf of the art communities she has called home. These include the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, ArtSpace, ArtSMART, Arts in Education, and ARTBreak, and the Newport Art Museum, where she has served on the NAM Board of Trustees and collection committee. Additionally, she served several years as chairman for WetPaint, a summer weekend “plein air” fundraiser held every year in Newport, Rhode Island. Although she is self-studied, jury experience is another element of the art world Victoria has enjoyed for several regional and local exhibitions.

In her studio hangs her most beloved piece, titled “The Hawk”; a mixed media work representing the spirit of her aforementioned late brother portrayed in this visually sensational bird of prey. It is important as it was collaborated with and completed by Ashley Palmer, her brothers favorite artist, following his death by suicide in 2018. Robert Dean Franks III was beloved husband, father, son, brother, friend, successful businessman, bird and big game hunter, skilled fisherman, conservationist, art lover and collector. As an avid outdoorsman, he would admit that the woods were his church and where he felt closest to God; hence all Victoria’s pieces since his passing are directly connected to or inspired by nature. Dean was that guy you would “never suspect” to die by suicide. Victoria believes God channels her energy into her art to spark joy, celebrate life, grieve death, foster personal reflection, encourage prayer, strengthen faith and thereby increase meaningful and direct connections between people. Proceeds from every piece sold go to DeanHawk Project with a mission to support community programming for administering mental health first aid. The hope is to save lives by offering anyone training, knowledge and skill sets to identify, recognize and navigate steps to help any person who may be experiencing a mental challenge or in a mental crisis, backed by first responder support.

This spring Victoria will be transitioning her work to an emphasis on animals in which sequential hermaphroditism occur accompanied by several representational pieces that speak to personal wellness. Victoria lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband of 27 years, Julio Rios and occasionally their grand dogs, Briar and SugarBear. They have two lovely and distinguished adult daughters, Catherine and Caroline (moms of Briar and SugarBear consecutively). Most days Victoria can be found creating away at the Goldmark, while classic rock and 80s hits blare loudly. She welcomes visitors, and loves to talk with art enthusiasts ...that is if you can get her to turn down the music!

Contact Victoria:
website www.VictoriaRiosArt.com
email Victoria@VictoriaRiosArt.com

14001 Goldmark Drive, Studio 134. Dallas, TX 75240

cell phone 318-470-5899

Instagram VictoriaRiosArt