By Rhonwyn Learner on August 29, 2025
How a former New Jersey ballet dancer discovered her calling as Florida’s premier underwater mermaid artist, creating dreamscape hospitality art that transforms hotel experiences
Victoria Persephone never imagined that a casual trip to a Florida spring would completely transform her career and life. But sometimes the most extraordinary journeys begin with a single moment of wonder—and for Victoria, that moment came when she first glimpsed the crystal-clear depths of a natural Florida spring.
“I didn’t know you could see those things in America,” Victoria recalls of her first spring experience in 2020. “I thought you had to go to the Caribbean to see things that beautiful, but apparently they’re here in the USA, just in Florida.”
What started as a simple underwater photo shoot quickly evolved into something far more magical. When the photographer suggested she try modeling in a mermaid tail, Victoria’s initial confusion—”I’m from New Jersey, what are you talking about?”—soon gave way to fascination. That single suggestion would launch Tresor de la Mer, her aquatic fantasy empire specializing in underwater mermaid artistry.
“When I was 10, the movie Splash with Daryl Hannah was brand new, and I was like, that’s it. That’s me. I’m a mermaid now,” Victoria laughs. “Everyone thought I was nuts when I was 10. But now I’m an adult and I’ve been a mermaid for four years. It’s just so weird and fun.”
Victoria’s background as a professional ballet dancer and graphic designer uniquely positioned her for this underwater artistry. Her company, Tresor de la Mer, creates what she calls “dreamscape imagery”—underwater mermaid portraits that capture the otherworldly beauty of natural Florida springs and cenotes in Mexico.
“When we dream, the mind is just going in all directions. We create colors and landscapes that don’t exist in reality,” Victoria explains. “A lot of times people want to go back to their dreams just to revisit these comforting, exciting images. That’s what I’m creating—I’m putting all of the dreamscape imagery onto these portraits.”
Unlike typical mermaid photography, Victoria’s work inhabits a gothic fantasy realm. “I’m not a Disney mermaid laying on the beach. No, I’m under the water in a gothic fantasy land, something you would see in your dreams. The imagery I’m creating is meant to make you look twice and say, ‘oh, wait, I had a dream like that.'”
The technical challenges of underwater modeling add another layer of complexity to Victoria’s work. “Modeling underwater is such a challenge. It’s not like being up here. Down there is much different, especially in a natural body of water like a Florida Spring or the Cenotes of Mexico.”
As both the model and editor, Victoria handles every aspect of production. Her graphic design background allows her to transform raw underwater footage into stunning art pieces that hotels and collectors treasure. She even creates many of the accessories she wears, designing custom mermaid tails that enhance each underwater scene.
Victoria has strategically focused on the hospitality industry, recognizing that hotels—particularly those in coastal areas—are ideal clients for her unique artwork. “When people say, ‘which hotel do you want to stay at?’ I want them to say, ‘oh, the one that had this portrait in the lobby,'” she explains. “I want that to be something that people associate with the hotel, gravitate toward, they talk about.”
Her vision extends beyond simple decoration. “Generic hotel art is everywhere. Mine is supposed to be different. Mine is supposed to grab you and bring you into that vacation resort fantasy place that you’re arriving at just for two weeks.”
Victoria’s move from New Jersey to Florida wasn’t just about business—it was about embracing a lifestyle that supports her artistic vision. “I love the weather. It’s warm all the time,” she says of her new home state. “Down here, my apartment is huge, it’s $300 less per month than what I had up north, and I am literally looking out my window right now at a gigantic lake.”
The natural environment directly influences her work. During shoots, “the fish just come right up to you, like ‘hello, you look like me, but don’t look like me. What is this? What are you doing?’ And there’s turtles and otters, and it’s just very, very fun.”
Tresor de la Mer offers more than wall art. Victoria provides comprehensive hospitality design services, helping hotels create cohesive ocean-themed environments. She also offers “Mermaid for Hire” services for corporate events and grand openings—not children’s parties, but sophisticated entertainment that adds ambiance to upscale venues.
“I’m not going to be doing face painting and games. I am just part of the ambiance, swimming as part of the entertainment,” she clarifies.
Victoria’s vision extends far beyond creating beautiful art—she’s focused on transforming how guests experience hospitality spaces. Her unique combination of performance background, graphic design expertise, and underwater modeling creates installations that don’t just decorate walls—they create lasting impressions that keep guests talking.
For discerning hotel owners, Victoria’s artwork offers a competitive advantage in today’s experience-driven hospitality market. Her pieces become focal points that guests photograph, share on social media, and remember long after their stay. This organic marketing creates the kind of authentic buzz that no advertising budget can buy.
“I want people to stop and stare a little bit,” Victoria explains. “When guests walk past, they’re drawn into that vacation resort fantasy—that’s the feeling every hotel wants to create.”
Coastal properties particularly benefit from Victoria’s oceanic themes, as her dreamscape imagery perfectly complements waterfront destinations while offering something far more sophisticated than typical beach art. Each piece becomes a conversation starter in lobbies, an Instagram-worthy backdrop in guest areas, and ultimately, part of what makes a property truly memorable in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
To explore Victoria’s underwater artistry and hospitality design services, visit Tresor de la Mer and discover how dreamscape imagery can transform your space into an unforgettable aquatic sanctuary.
Website: www.tresordelamer.shop
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