Discover Shreveport Artist Vanicka Before The Creative Ball 2024

Savannah Meredith | The Creative Magazine

Get to know Shreveport artist Vanicka before the Creative Ball

Genuine—an adjective, meaning “truly what something is said to be; authentic.” This is the word I would choose to describe Vanicka, her art, and her kind spirit. With a paint brush in one hand and a whole lot of grace in the other, Vanicka has a way of turning a canvas into a masterpiece and a conversation into a meaningful encounter. Attributing her success and talent to God, one cannot deny that her artistry far exceeds the natural scope of reality and transcends into a realm of beauty and never-ending possibilities. Quickly bored with the mundane, Vanicka has accepted the fact that she is not a “one size fits all” type of gal, and her artwork surely matches that energy. One could never accuse Vanicka of being monotonous as her work displays a portrait of her heart and mind, which is ever-changing and ever-growing.

“I do not stick to a genre. Picking something and sticking with it has never worked out for me. All of us are different every single day; we can pretend all we want, but we are back and forth and all over the place. That’s life, but that is also my art. If I wake up and wanna paint an alligator, I’m gonna paint an alligator. If I wake up and wanna paint abstract, I’m gonna paint abstract. It’s true to who I am.”

The Beginning

So how did she find herself here as a committed, full-time, successful artist? It all started about 5 years ago in the midst of antique dust and renovations… Despite earning a Bachelor’s degree in education and working towards her Master’s, her plans of earning a Doctorate and becoming an English-Lit professor got away from her after she and her mom graduated, instead, from a retail booth to a storefront. Her mom, Margo Newell, an avid collector of antiques, began selling them from a booth outside of the King’s Antique Mall. Other antique dealers informed them that the mall was for sale and that they should buy it. After a while of hearing this, they decided “why not?” and made an offer, which was accepted. Being that the clientele for the antique mall was mature, Vanicka and her mom felt it was necessary for the longevity of the store to revamp it, give it a different vibe, and hopefully draw in a more youthful crowd.

“I had never painted in my life; never picked up a paint brush; didn’t wanna be an artist—never even thought about that. I just thought, you know what? I’m gonna start painting… on canvas, wood, whatever I could find. I started with [painting] quotes, and then I went on to crazy things—whatever I could think [of], just to get people’s attention to look in the windows.”

Recognition and Support

Pretty soon, people began flooding the store, and not just to browse their antique inventory. Much to Vanicka’s surprise, her art was a hit, and people wanted to actually pay her for it. It was Myron Griffing, one of her first customers, and the Murphy family, faithful collectors of her art, who helped her realize that art was something she could actually pursue as a full-time career. Myron even introduced her to Joey Guinn, who displayed Vanicka’s art in his salon for a time. Thankfully, her husband Chad and her mom hopped right on board with the support she needed. Chad, who builds all of her canvases, and her mom, who “does everything under the sun” to help her, are her biggest fans and are who Vanicka believes make this dream she is living possible.

“It was all just miracles to me. It was nothing planned; it was nothing I strived for. My story is really 1,000 different miracles that came together to bring me to this point. I really don’t like to use the word ‘I’ a whole lot because it doesn’t have a whole lot to do with me—it’s more about the people that God has brought into my life and honestly, just God bringing miracles upon miracles.”

Overcoming Hardships

While her artistic life has been one blessing after another, Vanicka assures us that this doesn’t mean everything was always sunshine and rainbows. Like everyone else, she has faced many hardships, but her outlook proves that perspective, for her, is everything. “[The hardships] are blessings, too. They are what make you realize you can get through it [and overcome]. It has taught me to not be fearful—if it doesn’t work out, if something happens, it will be okay. We get through; we live through it. I have no fear. I’m not worried about someone not liking my art. I would rather somebody either hate or love my art than to have no opinion at all. That’s my main goal in this: I want someone to have a reaction.”

The way Vanicka sees it, we are all representing something much greater than ourselves. This is why it is so important for us to put ourselves out there and release the greatness we have within us. Being the sincere individual she is, Vanicka couldn’t help but get emotional sharing how important the connections she has made in our community have been to her. She truly believes it is those connections she makes through her art that give her career its meaning.

Community Engagement

“Every person I have come in contact with has literally helped in some way. So many relationships have come full circle through the connections I’ve built and their word of mouth. As an artist, one of the most meaningful experiences is getting commissioned to paint some of the most intimate moments for my clients. They share their stories with me, and it is such an honor to be entrusted with that sensitive information and GET to do a painting for them. It’s just amazing.”

The emotional connection Vanicka has to her clients and their stories is what makes her art so memorable and alluring. It is hard not to feel captivated by her work, as it is always evolving and she is always learning new methods to her creative madness. Her work is timeless, and I believe it will continue to expand just as her connections to others do. To meet Vanicka is to meet a work of art, forever in progress.

The Creative Ball 2024

The Creative Ball 2024 will be held at Horseshoe Casino and Hotel on Saturday, May 18. Tickets are on sale for $75. To purchase tickets visit www.eventbrite.com. To learn more about The Creative and The Creative Ball visit www.thecreativemag.net. The Times is a sponsor of The Creative Ball 2024.