Artist Proof Interview with Artist: Paul Torres

Global Location: US

URL: http://www.paul-torres.com/

Shop: http://www.zazzle.com/paultorrescom

Paul is known to be very creative by utilizing various mediums. He works with a variety of mediums ranging from oil to acrylic, ink and dry mediums, preferring oil. Although he feels very comfortable working from life and models, he also uses his imagination combined with working from life to bring the work into a more personal level and aiming for magic realism rooted in the tradition of the old masters with undertones of modern influences. Paul has been called a visionary artist and a soul artist.

AP: How long have you been making art for and what lead you to start?

PT:  I’ve been doing art since about I was 2 yrs. old, my parents had maids back home, and they introduced  me to comics, which inspired me to draw..

AP: Where do you currently  live and work ? And how does this influence your work?

PT: I live and work in Alhambra Ca, and it’s a very nice and peaceful city, with plenty of great places to eat especially chinese food, the people here are very studious and hard working..I think they are a good influence on my work.

AP: Did you have formal training if so what? If your self taught can you tell us what you prefer about being a self taught artist vs having formal training?

PT: I first started getting my training at home, my father brought me and my brother a german art tutor when I was 5 yrs. old , studied a few years with her, then correspondence art courses at 8 yrs. old, drafting,  and then otis art institute and a BFA in painting and Illustration from Art center college in pasadena, and studied classical painting with Jan Saether , Daniel Greene, and Albert Handel, and russian impressionism with Joseph Mendez.

AP: Can you tell us about where you make your work is it in your house, a studio etc.. and how it effects your work?

PT: I work in my house I have an office studio there.. and I work on idea drawings anywhere.

AP: What are some of you favorite design projects/exhibitions you have worked on to date?

PT: probably my current Show at wwa gallery in culver city i have 24 pieces , the show is on view  and online until May 7th..

AP: What is your medium of choice ?

PT: I’d have to say Oil paint,  and 2nd  I Iove pencil a lot 

AP: What is the relationship between technique and content in your work? 

PT: I think it’s a very intertwined and one helps the other..I try to make the technique original, and appealing as the content..

AP: In what direction would you like to see your work going over the next five years?

PT: More into a moving and provocative subject matter, as I am learning more about the art scene.and how can I push the content and technique in my work..in a way that is entertaining, universal and timeless as possible..

AP: What forth coming projects and or exhibitions do you have scheduled for 2011?

PT: I have a Solo Show coming up in the later part of  June at Bamboo Lane Gallery in Los Angeles chinatown.

AP: Take us on a guided tour through a day in your life as an artist.

PT: I get up about 5 to 530 am..drink Kombucha tea, go exercise at the park for about 1 hour, then I come to my studio and start working on paintings..usually I work on a few at a time, anywhere from 2 to 10 or so..like to listen to  radio, switch back and forth to ipod and pandora..work until about 7 pm sometimes 9pm..

AP: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions.