We recently had the chance to connect with Victoria Kopylova and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Victoria, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Recently, I’ve taken up playing the piano it’s more of a hobby for me, a way to relax and tune into the right mood. But what I truly love is reading. Books are an endless source of knowledge and inspiration; they give me space to reflect and spark new ideas. Another passion of mine is exploring new places. I always take along an old Polaroid camera that once belonged to my grandmother. Unlike a phone, which can capture hundreds of random shots, the Polaroid teaches me to choose the truly meaningful moments. The film is limited, and that creates a special kind of magic: instead of visual noise, I end up with photographs that hold real memories and emotions.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Victoria Kopylova, and I am an artist and the founder of Vivid Palette Art Studio in Florida. I grew up in Europe, where I studied in a traditional art school with a strong academic foundation. When I came to the U.S., I noticed that many children often don’t receive this kind of rigorous artistic training the kind that teaches you to truly see beauty, understand form, color, and composition. That’s where the idea for my studio was born.
At Vivid Palette, we don’t just teach drawing we teach students to think like artists: to see deeper, notice what others might overlook, and express themselves through art. In our classes, we work with both traditional materials — pencils, paints and modern tools, like digital design in Procreate. Each lesson is more than just about making a picture; it’s about knowledge and discovery. We bring in art history, nature, and culture so that creativity becomes a way of learning about the world.
My mission is to inspire people to create and to show that art is accessible to everyone. I believe Vivid Palette can be a place where both children and adults build confidence, develop skills, and find joy in the process of making art.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
The person who always saw my potential, even before I fully believed in myself, was my husband. In moments when I doubted my abilities or questioned whether I could bring my ideas to life, he never stopped encouraging me. He reminded me that I was capable of so much more than I gave myself credit for. His faith in me became a powerful source of strength and inspiration. Thanks to his support, I found the courage to take bold steps and build my studio.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes, there were moments when I was close to giving up. When I first opened my studio, everything was going well, I was promoting it, more people were learning about us, and the classes were growing. But at the end of the school year, many children went on summer break, and at the same time, I faced unexpected health expenses that required a lot of money. I had to go into debt and spent a long time paying it off. Without the budget for advertising, my business began to stagnate, and I found myself with the same number of students as when I first started. At that point, I almost gave up. But I kept holding onto hope and continued working hard to get back on my feet. That experience taught me something invaluable , that this is truly what I want to do, and I am willing to fight for it.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
I believe the current system of art education in many colleges is deeply flawed. Too often, students are not evaluated on their actual skills or growth, but on technicalities — whether they named a file correctly or provided peer feedback on time. Grades can drop by 50% or more over such details, while the true development of the student is overlooked. In many cases, it feels like students are paying large sums of money without receiving meaningful knowledge in return.
My mission is to change that. Vivid Palette Art Studio is my first step toward raising the level of art education in this country. I believe change must begin with children: giving them a strong foundation, inspiring them, and teaching them to think like true artists. That’s why I opened my art school — to create the base for a new generation of creative, confident individuals.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
People often tell me that my studio feels very different from many local programs. Parents and students say that our classes are deeper and more engaging in terms of knowledge and perspective — not just about practicing techniques. I try to share not only the skills of drawing but also a way of seeing the world, along with culture and art history. Many also tell me that I’m a storyteller who can capture attention and inspire.
But what I value most is that people feel a special sense of warmth and comfort in my studio. If I were to retire tomorrow, I think what my students would miss the most is that atmosphere , the feeling that this is a place where you can be yourself, feel supported, and create freely
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vividpaletteart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivi.dpalette?igsh=cXd0NTRkbDIzcWlv&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
Victoria Kopylova
