Victoria Rickards (b. Miami, Florida, 1999) is a painter, scenic designer, and lighting designer based in Columbia, South Carolina. Her practice engages abstraction as both a visual language and design concept. She incorporates the principles of abstraction into her scenic and lighting designs. Through painting and spatial composition, she explores how abstraction can shape emotional and atmospheric experience. This synthesis allows her to blur the boundaries between fine art and stage design, treating each design as sculpture performers can play in.
Rickards is currently pursuing her Master of Fine Arts in Theatre with a concentration in Scenic and Lighting Design at the University of South Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from the College of Charleston, where she specialized in Scenic and Lighting Design.
Her paintings have been exhibited and presented by institutions including Art Basel Miami Beach, the Columbia Museum of Art, the Nickelodeon Theatre, the Richland Library and the South Carolina Arts Foundation. In 2025, she was selected as an Artist in Residence for the City of Columbia and One Columbia for Arts and Culture's Garage Studio. She has contributed to multiple public art projects including Columbia Streams Art, NFTs with Solana and Floor/Rally and the Taylor Street Mural.
Born 1999, Miami, FL, USA
Resides Columbia, SC, USA
EDUCATION
MFA, Theatre, Scenic / Lighting Design
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
August 2024 - Present
BA, Theatre, Scenic / Lighting Design and Technology
College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, USA
Graduated: May 2021
EXHIBITIONS
2024
Creator Stories: Film and Art in Conversation, The Nickelodeon Theatre, Columbia, SC, USA
Annual Meeting, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, USA
Don’t Step on Tarp, Columbia, SC, USA
Yellow, Wonder, Columbia, SC, USA
Arts Renaissance, South Carolina Arts Foundation, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, USA
Neon Dreams: A Pop Art Affair, Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia, SC, USA
2023
Solana Artists in Residence, Art Basel, Miami, FL, USA
Illusory World of Hidden Realities (solo exhibition), Columbia, SC, USA
THEATRE AND DANCE
2025
The Importance of Being Earnest, University of South Carolina - Set Designer, Lighting Designer
The Seeing Place, University of South Carolina - Assistant Lighting Designer
Supervoid, Feature Film, Local Cinema Studios, Columbia, SC, USA - Props Master
Inside, Choreographed by Alina Shaner, University of South Carolina - Lighting Designer
Synapse, Choreographed by Katarina Kendall, University of South Carolina - Lighting Designer
Psychosis, Choreographed by Laura Anne Kay, University of South Carolina - Lighting Designer
Twelfth Night, University of South Carolina - Lighting Designer
If We Listen, Choreographed by Jennifer Deckert, University of South Carolina - Lighting Designer
Not Like Us, Choreographed by Christopher Aldeguer, University of South Carolina - Lighting Designer
Aint Misbehavin, Trustus Theatre - Assistant Lighting Designer
Mauritius, University of South Carolina - Assistant Lighting Designer
2024
The Rush, Choreographed by Mia Sanderson, University of South Carolina - Lighting Designer
From Me to You, Choreographed by Jolene Woods, University of South Carolina - Lighting Designer
Moon Man Walk, University of South Carolina - Assistant Lighting Designer
Antigone, University of South Carolina - Assistant Lighting Designer
2021
Our World: Student Voices, College of Charleston - Playwright, Actor, Scenic Designer, Director
2020
Dance Deconstructed, College of Charleston - Light Board Operator
Antigone, College of Charleston -Light Board Operator
2019
A Lie of the Mind, College of Charleston - Light Board Operator
The Lady Demands Satisfaction, College of Charleston - Run Crew
2018
An Enemy of the People, College of Charleston - Actor
COLLABORATIONS AND RESIDENCIES
2025
City of Columbia and One Columbia, Taylor Street Mural, Columbia, SC, USA
City of Columbia and One Columbia, Artist in Residence, Columbia, SC, USA
City of Columbia, Columbia Streams Art, Firefly Lightboxes, Columbia, SC, USA
City of Columbia, Columbia Streams Art, Turtles in the Park , Columbia, SC, USA
2024
Creator Stories: Film and Art in Conversation, Columbia, SC, USA
A collaboration between the Columbia Museum of Art and The Nickelodeon Theatre, showcasing the work of filmmaker Mark Monroe. Featured in a vignette exploring the creative process of Victoria Rickards, alongside artists Christopher Jay Heller and Afrodite Dimoviti. Participated in a post-screening discussion with Mark Monroe, with selections of artwork on display at The Nickelodeon Theater
Rally (Formerly Floor)
Commissioned to create two NFTs as part of Floor's rebrand to Rally, contributing to the launch of a series of digital art to celebrate the rebranding. The works were released in a collection featuring multiple artists, emphasizing the evolution of the platform
2023
Solana, Primitives & Art Basel Miami, Miami, FL, USA
In Solana’s debut at Art Basel Miami, the blockchain platform partnered with Primitives to represent artists and showcase their work in a digital format. Artwork including my contribution, was exhibited and minted as NFTs on Solana. This collaboration marked an important milestone in bringing NFTs to Art Basel, seamlessly blending tradition with technology.
Floor & Solana
Commissioned by Floor to create two NFTs for minting on the Solana blockchain, celebrating Solana's debut at Art Basel Miami. The works "Sunset" and "Dot Paradise" were featured
SELECTED PRESS
Daily Gamecock, “Preview: 'The Importance of Being Earnest' comedy explores themes of identity, societal pressure” in Newspaper and Online Resource (2025) at
[https://www.dailygamecock.com/article/2025/11/preview-the-importance-of-being-earnest-comedy-explores-themes-of-identity-societal-pressure-arts-culture-harmon] consulted on 6 November, 2025
City of Columbia, “Columbia Streams Art Public Art Program Awards 12 Local Artists With More Than $15,000 in Micro-Grant Funding for Creative Projects” in Newspaper and Online Resource (2025) at
[https://columbiasc.gov/columbia-streams-art-public-art-program-awards-12-local-artists-with-more-than-15000-in-micro-grant-funding-for-creative-projects/] consulted on 15 October, 2025
Solana Foundation, “Solana creator community thrives at Art Basel Miami Beach” in Online Resource (2023) at
[https://solana.com/news/solana-creator-art-basel-miami-beach] consulted on 15 December, 2023
Forbes, “Forbes: Web3 Travel Guides: Top Digital Art And Crypto Events At Miami Beach Art Basel” in Online Resource (2023) at [https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2023/11/29/web3-travel-guides-top-digital-art-and-crypto-events-at-miami-basel/?sh=272d7888192d] consulted on 29 November, 2023
MEDIA
Abstraction, Film directed by Mark Monroe, Lemon Tree Creative
Curtis Winston, Feature, ABC Columbia, Columbia, SC, February 29, 2024.
Intisar Faulkner, Feature, WIS 10, Columbia, SC, February 28, 2024.