Spotlight on Artist Designer Victoria Lehman

During this past Friday's Downtown Arts Walk here in Duluth I stopped in at Joellyn Rock's Rockinghorse Studio where a half dozen or more paintings by Victoria Lehman were being displayed. An assistant professor, Ms. Lehman has been teaching art and design at the U of MN-Duluth for 20 years or so. As it turns out, two of the most talented designers I have ever worked with were once students of hers.

The visit wasn't long enough, but a good introduction and the interview that follows will take you further.

EN: When did you first take an interest in art? Were there any catalyst events the propelled you to a teaching career in the arts?

Victoria Lehman: My early influences were the artists in my family and I jumped in early into creating art using many different medias. There were also teachers in my family and their appreciation for art and teaching also headed me toward an art teaching career.

EN: What has been your career path since growing up in Luck?

VL: My undergraduate degree was in studio art and art education. I taught K-6 elementary art in our local school for eight years before teaching at Brown Institute and The College of St. Catherine. I liked graphics and bought a small graphic design business for two years before coming to UMD and returning to teaching design. Along the way I've painted for many galleries such as the Long Beach Arts, CA and joined collections.

EN: Are there any influential designers that have especially influenced you? You’ve taught some very talented designers. Why is design important and what are some of the applications of design?

VL: Switching from teaching studio to design mid-career wasn't very difficult. I've been influenced by the designers I've worked with in business or teaching, and when first designing, I liked the New York designers such as Paula Scher.

Design is one of those things we take for granted being surrounded by design messages every day. Designers want to interact with people by coaching them to look at this world differently or in a better light. Most of us only stop to look at design when it strikes a personal cord. That's a designers job to find that personal note in as many people as possible.

EN: You’re also a painter. What is it that you most enjoy about painting as a medium of expression?

VL: What I most enjoy about painting is the fact I can express abstraction in large format and it's on a wall giving it texture and structure that you can't get with digital work or almost any other format.

EN: Where can people see more of your work?

VL: www.victorialehman.com and Instagram.

Meantime, art goes on all around you. Get into it.