About
"West's work has been described as gentle and elegant. It's personal, narrative and mostly realistic in representation." (Karen Mobley for Art Chowder magazine) Art and medicine have always been her two loves in life, medicine her "sustenance" and art her "passion." Growing up in Spokane, WA and nurturing a life long desire to paint, she began a serious pursuit with oils in high school. From there, she moved on to painting and figure drawing at Spokane Falls Community College, many years at Spokane Art School, multiple master classes in Spokane and with visiting artists through the Spokane Watercolor Society of which she is a signature member and past president. After thirty years of highly focused detail and multi-tasking work in the medical field, she retired in 2005 to paint full time. She received a Best in Show from Lian Zhen 2014 for a highly detailed piece from her Present Past series inspired by implements from the Shafer Historical Museum and nearby landscapes around Winthrop, WA . She has been interviewed and published in "Artist Marketing Resources," Art Chowder Magazine" and also belongs to Northwest Watercolor Society, Women in Watercolor and American Women Artists. Her award-winning artwork is represented in private collections across the U.S., and around the world. Illustration has become a recent avenue for her creative abilities and her self portrait entitled "The Critic" has inspired a touching tale for all ages of a young mouse as he finds his way in the world. As a new member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, SCBWI, (scbwi.org/members/vicki.west) she has added a new section to this site comprised of a sampling of her illustrations for promotional purposes only. She invites your questions or perhaps a NEW PROJECT is in your future! Feel free to contact her through this site or at westwatercolor@gmail.com or at 509 990 4545. Vicki lives in Spokane, WA with her very supportive husband. She has three grown children and EIGHT amazing grandchildren who inspire her every day!