Four Little Archangels

Archangel Michael of the Blue Flame by Tanya Torres, acrylic on tile, 6" x 6", 2012. Available.

Archangel Raphael of the Green Flame by Tanya Torres, acrylic on tile, 6" x 6", 2012. Available.

Archangel Uriel of the Red Flame by Tanya Torres, acrylic on tile, 6" x 6", 2012.Available.

Archangel Gabriel of the Orange Flame by Tanya Torres, acrylic on tile, 6" x 6", 2012. Sold.

New Poetry Mural

This mural is for my friend Rosa Velazquez, the first person I ever met who was interested in angel art, so I thought an angel was appropriate! The same image, tile size, was originally a study for the larger mural so I could let her see the colors and ideas. It goes together with other pieces for other walls.

The poem was written especially for Rosa, and inspired by her love of life and spirituality. I look forward to seeing the mural installed very soon, and hope she likes it!

La mirada (The Stare)

La mirada (The Stare) by Tanya Torres

Painting on tile, 6" x 6",  2011

Sometimes I just draw a face and see what happens as I paint it. This one stayed half-finished on my table for weeks, until the day before yesterday, when I sat down to finish all the unfinished tiles I had been working on. I am preparing to move fully into a new series I am painting for an exhibition in Prague this April.

She kept looking at me until I finally placed her in front of me. When I was done, she seemed to keep staring with that questioning look: "What do you think you are doing?,"she asks. "Move on, move on!"

Tocando el Tambor (Playing the Drum)

Playing the Drum by Tanya Torres
Acrylic on tile, 6" x 6", 2011

I had not done any drums for  a while, but my friend Luis Lassen took home a Bomba Dancer and then said: "She looks lonely, I need another one." He was about to choose the African Lady, but I suggested we do a male dancer or a drummer to go with the Bomba Dancer. This is the first drummer I do on tile, for Luis and for his bomba dancer in red:

Bomba Dancer by Tanya Torres
Acrylic on tile, 6" x 6", 2011

Now they can dance together, forever!

New Exotic Ladies: Paintings on Tile

Taína Spirit of the Coquí
This Taína is inspired by our Taíno heritage, the Native Americans of Puerto Rico. On her shoulder it the little coquí, her faithful companion, the voice of the mountain and the forest.

African Lady of Beauty and Spirituality
She is inspired by our African heritage as Human Beings. This is the second version of this lady.

Exotic Lady: Muse of the Leaves
She is the Muse of the Leaves. A bindi on her forehead makes her a beautiful princess of the forest. Bring her home for a touch of beauty and inspiration every day!

These new paintings on 6" x 6" tiles are now available in my Etsy Shop.
They are $50 each. Or come visit my studio to see them in person!

See more Exotic Ladies.

Poetry Murals

It feels so good to have finally completed all my poetry murals! Here they are, including 4 additional "last minute" murals that Mr. Soto, the school principal, asked me to create 2 months before the biggest day at the school: Mano a Mano, when all the school's creations are presented in a big performance and as exhibitions throughout the building.

The murals are all painted and written on approximately 60 4" x 4" tiles. The project began last year, when the school children asked Mr. Soto to fix the bathrooms. He moved Heaven and Earth to achieve the much needed—and very expensive—renovation of 6 school bathrooms, and thought to integrate poetry and art as a reminder that creativity and dreams are all around us!

Personally, I feel this project integrates a lot of who I am by bringing together word and image. Of course, they are also meant to reflect the principal's vision for the school and the idea for the picassoesque figures came from the children's own work with the schools' art teacher, Ms. Turtle. The poetry is all mine. Here they are!

Girls, First Floor

Boys, First Floor

Girls, Second Floor


Boys, Second Floor


Girls, Third Floor






Boys, Third Floor

Artful Kitchen

My customer, Katherine, asked me to create the the design for her kitchen based on the details of a tile she bought from me from the very first batch of Exotic Ladies tiles I made. She chose the Muse with green hair, which became the centerpiece of this project. The original tile is at the top of the window, by itself. The empty space to the left is for placing a clock. For the story, visit my "secret blog," Hoy, artista.

Exotic Lady: Melancholy

I think she is missing her beloved Matisse. But at least she has his blues.

Exotic Lady: Butterflies

A variation on the exotic ladies... She is dreaming in her golden world.

Exotic Ladies

Musa (Muse)

Reina de la espuma (Queen of Sea Foam)

Ninfa (Nymph)

Mantilla azul (Blue Mantilla)

Jazmines (Jasmines)

Earlier this year, I began using tile pain for the poetry murals at P.S. 57 and found it to be a fun medium, bright and textural. You also kind of have to let go of perfectionism... it is very difficult but the effects can be interesting. I had to erase the entire background of Queen of Sea Foam, but in the end, I loved the effect. I got the idea from the process of erasing, which reminded me that paint thinner can be a medium to create a marbleized effect. My favorite part of this kind of painting is using the outliners, which define and also give texture to the final piece.

Bathroom Murals: My Poetry Murals at P.S. 57, NYC