Heather Torres Art

Colorful Feast

2015-11-03T17:53:00.002-08:00

Colorful Feast

15x30 inches

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

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Toothy Smile

2015-11-01T12:19:00.001-08:00

Toothy Smile

9x9 inches

Watercolor on Paper

Private Collection

There is nothing like painting a portrait of your own children to bring everything back into focus. This piece was painted of my oldest son from a photograph that was taken while we were in the Bahamas. I've been meaning to get around to painting this piece for awhile. :)

Cox Family Christmas Card

2015-11-01T12:16:00.001-08:00

Cox Family Christmas Card

8x12 inches

watercolor on paper

Commission

Peaceful Sea

2015-09-24T19:16:00.001-07:00

Peaceful Sea

8x10 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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Some of the most popular (and my new favorite) beaches are found along the Pacific Ocean. Did you know?? The Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest ocean, covering more than 30% of the earth’s surface. The original meaning of the Pacific Ocean’s name is “peaceful sea.”

Fall Flowers

2015-09-17T08:55:00.003-07:00

Fall Flowers

22x30 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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This painting was inspired by a photo by amazing photographer, Barb Wagner. Her photos have inspired so many of my paintings. I just love the perspective she uses to capture flowers. This time, I've painted "fall flowers." It took weeks to complete this piece. I moved across the page, leaf by leaf, petal by petal. It's always fun to see it come together in the end after the daunting task of filling a FULL piece of watercolor paper. This big boy is 22x30 inches! Here's a photo of me with he painting to show it's size. :)

NATURE - A solo watercolor exhibition featuring artwork by Heather Torres

2015-09-15T06:42:00.002-07:00

"Nature" is an art exhibition featuring the artwork of award-winning artist, Heather Torres. Her work features beauty in all forms of nature; plants, seascapes, and animals. She explores each subject through the use of dramatic color and depth, in both watercolor and acrylic mediums.

This is the second solo exhibition in which Heather's work has been featured in the Orlando area. Since her first exhibition, she has earned awards from the Central Florida Watercolor Society, currently has work featured in the National Watercolor Society's Annual Member Exhibition in San Pedro, California, and has participated in many group shows internationally.

Below you'll find some photos from the opening reception celebration, which took place on Wednesday, August 26th from 5-9pm. Thanks to all who came out to show support!

Artwork will be on display and for sale from August 26th through November at Hannibal's on the Square, an award-winning Winter Park restaurant and lounge.

Hannibal's on the Square is open Sunday-Thursday, 4-11pm and Friday-Saturday from 4-12pm.

For more information about Heather Torres and Hannibal's Lounge, visit the following websites:
www.HeatherTorresArt.com
www.HannibalsLounge.com

Healing

2015-09-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

Healing

15x22 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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The water is known for its healing power. A placid body of water at sunset makes the perfect combination to slow down time, meditate on the moment, and help you appreciate life’s gifts. It inspires you and forces you to breath in the fresh air and heal your soul.

Righteous Surf

2015-09-14T18:56:00.003-07:00

Righteous Surf

22x15 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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I was inspired by a photo taken by Barb Wagner, an award-winning photographer, who was gracious enough to let me use her photo as inspiration. Many surfers believe they have a spiritual connection to the ocean. They have described the surfing experience as a type of spiritual connection or a religion. Some people see water as a “symbol of God’s Presence” and this may be felt most intensely when on a board in the middle of the ocean.

Our Heart

2015-08-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

Our Heart

11x20 inches

watercolor on paper

I put the finishing touches on this piece this evening with my sweet little niece Brynley in the room. She is an angel! She celebrates her 1 week birthday today and she has brought our family so much joy.

I had the honor of doing a photo shoot with her the day she came home from the hospital. After loading the photos on to my computer, I felt so inspired - more inspired to paint than I have been in months. In recent months, I've reached a bit of a creative block but kept painting, trying to work through it. Meeting her was all I needed. Painting hands and feet is always a bit of a challenge but I didn't mind them at all when painting this piece.

May God bless this sweet girl. We are blessed to have her in our lives.

National Watercolor Society Annual Member's Exhibition 2015

2015-07-07T06:53:00.002-07:00

"Eternal Love" in the NWS Annual Member's Exhibition

I was thrilled to be accepted into the 2015 National Watercolor Society Annual Member's Exhibition in San Pedro, California. What a huge honor to be part of this amazing show with talented artists from around the world. We decided to leave the kids behind and trek out to California to see the show and have a once-in-a-lifetime experience. My husband, his cousin, and cousin's girlfriend and I drove down the Pacific Coast Highway. We started in San Francisco and eventually ended up in San Diego, making time for the show, Alcatraz, city tours, the Oceanside pier, and San Diego art and culture. Here are a few photos of our trip.

The NWS exhibition will be open through July 31st. If you live in the area, stop by. The show is amazing!

Climatic Atlas

2015-06-23T20:29:00.000-07:00

Climatic Atlas

24x24 inches

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

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Phew! First post back in way too long. I've been working on commissions, had a major home renovation and took a trip to California, which I'll be posting about soon. I'm happy to call this piece finished. I must say, I'm happy with the final result and it will be hanging in my home until it finds a new one.

This piece was inspired by two things: the sky and the Atlantic Ocean. The sky and clouds are stunning natural wonders. The world’s climate is fed by water, including the oceans around the world, which creates an ever evolving view of the sky. Weather forecasts are predicted by hundreds of years of data about participation and clouds. Did you know the Atlantic Ocean, the second largest ocean (21% of the Earth’s surface) is named after Atlas of Greek mythology, Atlas was known as the titan of astronomy and navigation.

Energy

2015-04-06T18:39:00.001-07:00

Energy

24x24 inches

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

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On to the next wave: "Energy." Waves are primarily driven by winds. By harnessing the power developed by waves, a generator can create power. Companies are working to develop generators and pumps designed to capture and generate such power. Waves also feed our psyche and affect the human body. A natural instinct of children and adults alike is to run into the ocean and tackle the waves head on. Surfers and body surfers find riding the waves exhilarating and energy boosting.

Majestic Skys

2015-04-02T20:21:00.000-07:00

Majestic Skys

15x22 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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It’s not unusual to see amazingly beautiful skies above the ocean. The water feeds the ever-changing sky. This piece was inspired by the Makapu’u Lookout on Ohau, Hawaii. Rising above the hazy islands are colorful cumulus clouds.

Soothing

2015-04-01T20:15:00.000-07:00

Soothing

15x22 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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We are bombarded with sensory overload daily with electronic devices, busy city streets, or hectic home and work life. Our brains need time to unplug. Being around the ocean allow us to disconnect. It gives us a cognitive break. It soothes our senses and calms the soul.

Perspective

2015-03-31T19:57:00.000-07:00

Perspective

12x24 inches

Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

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This painting marks the start of my beach series. I'll be painting lots of waves in the coming months. The series will have a combination of acrylic and watercolor paintings. I plan to use each piece to convey the healing powers of the ocean.

This first piece, titled "Perspective," was inspired how the beach clears the mind and improves perspective. This newfound perspective creates distance from daily problems. It’s not uncommon for psychologists to ask patients to meditate with thoughts of the ocean, allowing them to use imagery to stimulate their senses and improve their perspective on life.

Frangipani

2015-03-08T16:51:00.000-07:00

Frangipani

8x10 inches

Acrylic on Canvas Board

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Plumeria (also known as Frangipani) flowers are by far my favorite. They remind me of Hawaii and the time I've spent there with my husband. I recently invested in new Golden paints and when they arrived in the mail, I couldn't wait to tackle a new piece. This is it! It took me longer to complete than I had anticipated by it came together. ...Now to decide on the subject for the next piece...

A Father's Love

2015-03-02T05:31:00.000-08:00

A Father's Love

14x14 inches

Watercolor on Paper

Private Collection

"A Father's Love" is the next painting in my series of private family moments. This painting was inspired by a photograph taken at a family photoshoot we did years ago. I always loved the photo. It's of my oldest son and my husband. My son was only two years old when the photo was taken. I'm so thankful for my husband. He is an amazing father. He takes such great care of our boys - he plays with them, helps out a lot, and is extremely patient with them. I'm thankful for this memory.

Current

2015-02-23T17:51:00.002-08:00

Current

11x14 inches

Acrylic on Canvas

This painting is a study for a much larger piece. I'll be painting a wave onto three canvases and I wanted to work on getting the fluid look of water right. I've been having fun with acrylic paints lately and can't wait to dive into the big canvases that I have set aside for my next project. If you're interested in bidding on this piece, click the "Click to Bid" link above.

The Sand Dollar

2015-02-18T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Sand Dollar

14x14 inches

Watercolor on Paper

Private Collection

This painting was inspired by a photograph of my son and my brother. Last year we took a cruise to the Caribbean with my family to celebrate my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. One of my favorite memories from the cruise was a hike we took in the mountains of St. John. After hiking a mile or so we came across a beautiful beach with crystal clear, turquoise water. We swam and played on the sand for a few hours. My kids (6 and 4 years old) enjoyed the beach so much. The found shells and sand dollars on the shore and in the water. My brother, Adam, who doesn't have kids of his own yet, was amazingly patient and good with the kids. I'm so happy we captured this moment. I'll be adding this painting to my collection of family portraits and figure paintings.

Three Little Birds

2015-02-18T07:56:00.000-08:00

Three Little Birds

11x14 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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This painting was inspired by the Bob Marley song, "Three Little Birds." I was asked to submit some artwork for a group art show that opens tomorrow, Thursday, February 19th at NV Art Bar. The theme is artwork inspired by poetry or music.

"Three Little Birds" is one of my favorite songs. My childhood best friend and I used to sing the song all the time and even did some karaoke signing to the song while on a day cruise when we were young teens. Every time I hear the song I think of that moment we shared.

Fluid

2015-01-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

Fluid

8x10 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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This is it. This portrait study makes painting #30. 30 days, 30 Paintings. How did I do it with a full time job, two crazy boys, and all of the other stresses of life? Somehow I pulled it off. All 30 paintings are complete. I've learned a lot this month and now that it's all over, I want to share what I learned:

I love painting. I love painting all kinds of things. I enjoy experimenting, trying new things, and watching the paint merge in every piece.

The paintings I completed this month are not what I'd consider to be my best work. But you'll see that all of the other artists that participated in this challenge didn't produce they best work either. Close to 1000 artists from around the world participated in the challenge. Painting daily is a different approach. You don't have time to think. You just have to do...and that was a learning experience in and of itself.

I've gained more followers and friends. Posting a new painting to my Facebook page daily lead to a big increase in fans and followers. As a digital marketer and teacher, I knew that posting daily was important but having fresh content seemed to build some excitement, which is awesome.

It can be difficult to work under pressure. Knowing that daily deadline was in place really took a toll on me. I'm use to painting daily but finishing a painting daily was a very different level of stress. It was stressful, but all the more reason to feel like this was a major accomplishment.

I can follow through on a commitment. I've always been pretty good about following through but this was tough and I'm really proud of this accomplishment.

I learned a lot. Every painting brought new challenges. I learned new techniques and a lot about composition. I also learned that I like some styles of painting and subject matter better than others.

Overall, this was a good experience but I don't know that I'll do it again any time soon. I like to take my time and pace myself on pieces. I'm excited about what the rest of the year will bring. I have some ideas for paintings and I can't wait to get started.

Exhale

2015-01-29T20:31:00.000-08:00

Exhale

8x10 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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I finally got caught up tonight (Yay!!) I have been behind on the challenge since Sunday and I finally got two paintings done in one night. For awhile now, I've been dying to paint a portrait. Here's a woman's profile study. The background was a bit of an experiment but I really like the way it tuned out. I have portraits on my mind these days and I can't wait to get back into doing larger works. This is painting 29 of the 30 day challenge. Tomorrow it the last day!!

Atlantic Sunset 2

2015-01-29T20:26:00.001-08:00

Atlantic Sunset 2

8x10 inches

Watercolor on Paper

SOLD

Maui Sunset

2015-01-28T19:34:00.004-08:00

Maui Sunset

8x10 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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Painting #28 of the 30 Day Challenge. Getting close to the end! I'm glad I waited til the end to paint sunsets. I've always been a huge fan of the sky and sunsets are the sky at its best!

Atlantic Sunset

2015-01-27T18:52:00.001-08:00

Atlantic Sunset

8x10 inches

Watercolor on Paper

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I've been having a lot of fun going though old photos for this challenge. This was inspired by a photo I took while on a cruise with my husband for our 10 year anniversary. We had so much fun on the cruise. We left the kids behind and had a ball. This makes Painting #26 of the 30 Day Challenge. All most there!