Victoria truly is a real life hero. I state this because of her lifelong desire to provide “community” of all nations and peoples and others who have experienced the real dangers of nuclear exposure be it weapons, storage, transport, and even the peaceful application of nuclear energy.
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In other words, real possibilities of life threatening impact! I know this through my own diplomatic level position and experience with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) located in Vienna, Austria. However it is her art form that such a fellowship would enable her to continue her own long term well deserved aspirations of expression through painting. There are many superb examples of her lifetime devotion and creation of exquisite aesthetic work reflecting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and tenents of the UNESCO Culture of Peace. These tenents are aimed at eradication of nuclear weapon and dangers of exposure that go beyond her mastery of painting, extending to thought provoking messaging in a positive, impactful, and responsive advocacy. I say this because her life effort has been immersed throughout a lifetime of deleterious health challenges originated from the terrible personal tragic exposure that led to near death experiences of physical, mental and spiritual suffering. However through her suffering her exquisite painting has generated awards and accolades on the merits of excellence on each painting, while inspiring advocacy and ACTION. She is a shining example of a responsible individual that can undertake a serious human health issue and transform it into creative advocacy that mobilizes necessary education and ultimately, again inspire action because safety of human life and quality of life cannot be left to science and experiments alone! Her life and art form are stirring and passionate. The historical exhibition as previewed by the California and Baja UNESCO Center for Peace created the groundswell of awareness and activism it will take to help our country eliminate the development, use, transport, storage, and dangerous destruction actions we have involved ourselves in for so many decades. As another wonderful result of seeing her work and a real life example, Victoria’s work recently inspired a composer to write, record and perform a really great song “The San Onofre Blues”, based on the storage issues of Orange County’s deactivated nuclear power station. I am truly happy that her work has such meaningful importance to the world and generations of people that hopefully will be able to eventually live without fear of nuclear weaponry and accidents that have caused such devastating destruction. Through her art, Victoria has created a monumental groundswell of awareness and activism it will take to help eliminate the dangers we have exposed humanity to for so many decades. And to utilize her beautiful skilled painting art form coupled with her passion for social justice, she has heightened advocacy and inspiration to seek solutions. A real life hero is a phenomena, and I can’t think of any “legacy art fellow” that has done more important work and continues to do so while living the real horrors of constant medical challenges because of nuclear exposure, than this remarkable and talented caring artist. Our future generations depend on it!
Joanne Tawfilis, PhD, Director, UNESCO Center for Peace | California and Baja Member US National Commission to UNESCO Member of the Advisory Board, UNA USA/UN Foundation San Diego Member, International Committee of Artists for Peace Fine Arts Cofounder/Director The Art Miles Mural Project Cofounder/Director Muramid Mural Museum and Art Center |
