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| Grove City artist Victoria Krader’s work is now on display at Grove City Hall. Pictured above is just one of the paintings you will find at the exhibit which runs through November. |
Life is like a box of crayons – at least it is for Grove City artist Victoria (Gallicchio) Krader.
Now she puts that color to good use as her work is displayed at a new art exhibit at Grove City Hall.
"I loved to color and I told my mom that I wanted to color forever," remembered Krader.
Krader, a 1969 graduate of Grove City High School, traded in her childhood crayons for a paint brush. She started selling portraits of fellow classmates during her senior year.
"I sold portraits that I painted from senior pictures for $2 a piece," she laughed. "I was hooked from the first sale."
Following high school graduation, Krader attended Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD). She studied various mediums including oil and acrylic, but Michael Krader’s marriage proposal changed the course of her life. She left school to marry him and raise a daughter, Michelle, in Grove City’s historic district.
"I’ve done pretty well without finishing at CCAD yet I would have been on a different artistic plateau if I’d graduated," she said. "But Michael’s always supported my work and I’m glad I got to be at home for my daughter."
Even while juggling day-to-day family demands, Kader found creative outlets and appreciative audiences. In the 1980s, Rocky’s, a popular night spot located on Bethel Road, lined its walls with portraits of famous boxers – all painted by the Grove City artist.
Her efforts garnered the admiration of many restaurant patrons as well as the actual fighters.
The artist recalled various sports figures’ open praise.
"I got to meet Boom Boom Mancini and Bobby Rahal wrote me a real nice letter after he had received a painting I’d done of him in the Winner’s Circle at the Indy 500."
It’s the people – famous or not – who mean the most to Krader.
"I’ve done a lot of portrait work and I like to see people’s eyes light up when they see the finished piece," she explained. "I like making people feel. I love seeing people’s reaction. It’s kind of like being a performer and knowing that you’ve touched an audience."
Krader’s attention to detail comes through in her portrait work but it is also present in the wide range of other artistic projects she undertakes. Neighbors marveled at her full-size garage mural which, until recently covered, boasted a classic truck. She also creates and paints ceramic tiles. Currently, wood burnings of lighthouse sketches demand her attention.
The public is invited to attend a formal exhibit representing Krader’s body of work.
Diverse pieces will hang in council chambers at City Hall Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Private tours can also be arranged through Nov. 22 by contacting Ray Kline at 875-2423.
Individuals interested in knowing more about the artist or her work may call Krader directly at 875-8793.
