Artist Victoria helps wild bunch to focus on nature
WHEN the country entered full lockdown last spring, Victoria Spencer spent hours perched on a bar stool snapping whatever passing wildlife and birds she could spy from her attic window.
Contemplating whether other enthusiasts were out there doing the same, she set up the Rossendale Wildlife Group on Facebook in April 2020.
Barely 18 months later, the group has a thriving community of more than 2,000 members sharing photos and tips out and about in the Valley, while for Victoria the inspiration of its success has spawned a fledgling art career.
The animal-lover, from Waterfoot, specialises in coloured charcoal and graphite drawings and takes commissions for pet portraits, outline illustrations and greetings cards.
In her spare time she works on private celebrity portraits, and is currently working on a Peaky Blinders portrait collection which she intends to get autographed by the actors before auctioning for charity.
Typically Victoria’s art is painstakingly replicated from photographs - and it was this passion for photography which kickstarted her new career path when she was confined to mostly staying indoors during lockdown.
“At the time I was working in end of life care,” she explained. “I had to be ultra careful, and I have a few health issues myself - my immune system is not what it should be.
“I set up the group because it was the beginning of the full lockdown and I started to get into photography - especially wildlife photography.
“I would sit there and wait for whatever birds came along.
“I set the group up on the off chance, and I was surprised how many people were doing the same as me - taking photos through doors, and of birds while stuck out of the window. I got some funny looks from my neighbours!”
Before joining, new members are vetted by Victoria, 35, or fellow page moderators Danny and Sam, and their golden rule is that no information should be disclosed identifying locations where at-risk species such as deer, birds of prey or badgers can be seen.
Former Fearns pupil Victoria, who is married to Ashley and has a teenage stepson James, says it’s “a really nice group of people” and, unlike some social media pages, there are “no dramas”.
“Even when I go out on walks people will stop me and say ‘You’re Victoria, the wildlife lady, I’m a member of the group’, and it gets you talking,” she said.
“It’s brilliant. The Valley is such a beautiful place, and people have joined the group who haven’t quite realised what an array of wildlife we actually do have.
“Everyone gives everyone advice on anything, such as how to take pictures on a mobile phone if you don’t have a camera. It’s a great group and I’m so proud I’ve started it.”
Less than a year after creating Rossendale Wildlife Group, Victoria embarked on her new art business - showcased via her Victoria Spencer Fine Art Instagram and Facebook pages.
She reckons around 70 per cent of her drawing is still wildlife-focused but, unlike her photography, ventures beyond Rossendale’s borders with elephants, polar bears and penguins among her catalogue.
“When I got into the wildlife photography I thought I will have a try at drawing,” she said.
“It’s going well, in that I don’t have a normal nine to five job! I work from home - my spare room has been converted into a studio.
“Especially this time of year I do hand drawn cards, so every card is an original and one of a kind.”
The bespoke nature of her work is emphasised by the time investment it takes a minimum of 40 hours for the speediest portraits, whereas the longest took four times as long. Sizes vary too from A4, up to the largest work she has been commissioned to do - an A1 (poster-sized) portrait of a horse. Owners prizing a lasting memento of their beloved pets, whether alive or no longer with us, are also among her customers.
“It’s a great way for their memory to live on,” added Victoria.
“People send photos of them when they’re asleep on the couch, but for people with working dogs they’re more of an action shot.
“It can be all sorts. “What I do is very individual. You’ve got to be into your art and appreciate the time and work that’s gone into a piece like that.”