Biography Victoria Zyluk 2026

I grew up on a farm where nature wasn’t just scenery — it was part of daily life. Plants, animals, thunderstorms rolling across the sky… even the occasional odd moment, like the day it rained turtles. My childhood was full of hands‑on work: baling hay, hoeing bean fields, tending gardens, feeding livestock, and helping prepare meals for the crews who kept everything running. On hot summer days, we’d wander down our dusty gravel road to the waterfall at the bend of the river, and my one‑room schoolhouse sat tucked between meadows and forest. My sister and I would fetch wood for the stove, bake potatoes in it, and sometimes watch them burst open in a shower of hot crumbs. All of it shaped a deep, lifelong connection to the land.

By high school, I knew art was where my heart was headed. After university and Teachers’ College, I finally found a way to bring those two passions together — creating art and teaching it. Over the years I’ve taught across several provinces and school districts, presented at educational and art conferences, worked with Continuing Education programs, and served on multiple arts councils. As vice‑chair of Art for Education, I helped lead fundraising efforts for schools. My artwork has been featured in city galleries and even selected for the Calgary Stampede Art Auction.

Travel has also played a huge role in my artistic life. Exploring Europe, North America, and countless islands has strengthened my desire to capture experiences and share them with others. Studying with different artists and mediums has expanded my skills — from the clarity of pen and ink to the softness of pastels and oils, and the fluidity of watercolour. These days, I’m loving the freedom of working large with acrylics. I’m always imagining new colour combinations or ways to express something as simple and stunning as autumn sunlight in the mountains.

Art is woven into who I am. It’s how I explore possibilities. Every time I paint, I find myself asking, “What if…?” and I hope my work invites others to ask the same — opening space for curiosity, imagination, and new ways of seeing.

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