If you had told me years ago that I’d be an artist, covered in paint, creating with nothing but my hands, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. But sometimes life leads us exactly where we’re meant to be, even if we don’t see the path straight away.
I’m Sally Victoria, an abstract artist who paints without brushes. My hands are my tools, my connection to the canvas, and the way I bring raw emotion to life. But my journey into painting wasn’t planned. In fact, it started at a time when everything felt uncertain.
Like many people, the 2020 lockdown turned my world upside down. I had been living in China but travel restrictions left me stuck in the UK with no clear idea of what came next. It was a time of stillness, reflection and, unexpectedly, discovery.
One day, I found myself outside in a field, surrounded by nature, with an urge to create. Without any brushes, I dipped my hands into paint, using leaves and grass as my first tools. There was something freeing about it, something deeply personal. I wasn’t just making art, I was feeling it.
I’ve always seen the world differently and that’s partly because I’m neurodivergent. I have dyslexia and ADHD and for most of my life, those labels felt like obstacles. But through painting, I realised they’re actually my superpowers.
Dyslexia allows me to think outside the box, seeing connections that others might miss. ADHD fuels my creativity, bringing an energy and spontaneity to my work that I fully embrace. I don’t overthink, I just create, letting the movement of my hands guide me, layering textures and colours in a way that feels alive.
My work isn’t about perfect lines or controlled strokes. It’s about raw expression, bold colour and texture you can almost feel just by looking at it. It’s about breaking rules, embracing chaos and capturing emotions that words can’t always describe.
Since starting this journey, my art has taken me to incredible places. My work has been displayed in Dubai, Thailand, China, Uzbekistan and the UK. I’ve painted in some of the most breathtaking locations around the world, letting nature and my emotions shape each piece.
More than anything, painting has given me a way to connect with myself, with others and with something bigger than all of us.
Art has opened doors I never expected and I’m always looking for new ways to share my work. Whether it’s through exhibitions, collaborations, workshops or projects that celebrate the beauty of thinking differently, I want my art to challenge perceptions and invite people to see the world in new ways.
For me, painting isn’t just about what’s on the canvas, it’s about the feeling behind it, the story within it and the energy it brings to those who see it.
If my journey has taught me anything, it’s that sometimes the best things happen when you stop trying to follow a plan and just let yourself create.
And that’s exactly what I intend to keep doing.